Can't Resist
by Aryanne
Summary: This story answers the age old question of just how Bulma and Vegeta got together with a twist. Amusement parks, explosions, annoying family members . . .
1. Yamcha Gets Dumped

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or any characters or places in it.  
  
Can't Resist  
  
"Just shut up! You're nothing but an incompetent, male, chauvinist pig. Now get out off my property and out of my life." Bulma Brief said quietly, glaring at Yamcha. They were standing in the front hallway of the Brief family home (ok, mansion). Three days ago, Bulma had caught Yamcha, her boyfriend off and on since her early teens, with yet another woman. This one had been tall, thin, and a brunette. She'd also been intelligent enough to realize Bulma and Yamcha's relationship. The woman, Cecile, had promptly stood up from the restaurant table where Bulma had spotted them and gathered her purse and jacket. Yamcha, already standing, had protested and turned to Cecile, making apologetic gestures, clearly flustered. Showing more energy then any of Yamcha's pervious infidelities, she'd promptly punched him in his stomach and hit him in the head with her purse. Cecile had then apologized to an amazed Bulma, told her there was a brick in her purse, and marched out of the restaurant.  
  
Surprisingly, she'd packed a pretty good punch, leaving Yamcha slightly winded and with a rising bump on the side of his head. True, it had been gone in a few hours since Yamcha was, after all, a Z fighter, but Bulma still vaguely liked Cecile for her spunk. None of the other girls had ever apologized to her. And there were plenty of other girls, Bulma was ashamed to admit. There had been Trina, Betti, Sami, Royse, and Shairon in the last few years. So Cecile was the newest cause of their breakup. Oh, when they did separate Bulma thad had several boyfriends, but none of them interested her beyond a few dates, she'd been too stuck on that jerk, Yamcha.  
  
Still, Yamcha wasn't all bad, that was the whole reason she'd tolerated his affairs. When they'd been younger he'd saved her life a few times and before he discovered he was attractive to not just her but all women, he'd been very sweet. Sure he'd done things that made her mad, but in retrospect, he hadn't done them on purpose and he had been interested in only her.   
  
So what had happened? The only person who still felt and acted the same towards Yamcha was Puar, who was just as adoring as ever. IN fact, Bulma had the idea Puar didn't like her very much. Oh well. Bulma still wasn't immune to Yamcha, so wasting time thinking about her past wasn't going to keep her angry enough to be done with him romantically forever.  
  
"You don't really mean it, do you, Bulma?" Yamcha asked. panic stricken as the implications of what Bulma had just said dawned on him. What scared him most was the cold, emotionless way she'd told him to get out of her life. "Can't I at least come over and talk sometime?" he pleaded.  
  
"Not now Yamcha." Bulma said, her voice still cold and calm. She stepped around him and opened the front door.  
  
"Come on Bulma! Please give me another chance." he asked, voice rising in near panic, but remaining civil and stepping out the front door and on to the front steps. He turned back to face her. "We've been through too much together." "You're right. I'll call you when I'm ready to talk to you." Bulma said quietly.  
  
Yamcha's clouded expression cleared and lit his handsome features.  
  
At the Bulma lost her command over her emotions and yelled at him in fury, "I WON'T CALL BECAUSE I'LL TAKE YOU BACK! I'LL CALL WHEN I'M OVER YOU, YOU IDIOT! SO BUG OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Bulma's last words were punctuated by an explosion from the Brief's backyard as she slammed the door in Yamcha's face.  
  
He stood there stunned for a moment and then sadly walked down the yard to the sidewalk and into his car. As he drove home to a waiting Puar he resolved to come back in a week, just to give Bulma time to stew, and resume his quest to win her back. Having formed a plan, he decided to hit a club or two before he went home and recommenced his training. 


	2. Explosion

Can't Resist - Chapter 2 - Explosion  
  
Even though Yamcha didn't recognize the volume of her door-slam as an explosion, Bulma did. Casting Yamcha forcefully from her mind, she identified the source as the GT (gravity trainer) in the backyard. She'd relished the challenge of building a GT when Vegeta had demanded it of her father. Since he was busy with upgrading his spaceships, she'd decided to take on the responsibility. It had been fun while it lasted, technical work always was. Once the blueprints were tested, she'd had some company employees come over and they'd built it in a day. Vegeta had flown in from wherever he'd been and started training.  
  
However, he'd never blown it up before. Well to be more accurate, the explosion hadn't been this loud. He'd blown chunks out of it, but she'd programmed the robots to fix it. This explosion sounded like the whole GT. The noise of rocks and debris landing on the roof confirmed her theory.  
  
As she sprinted through her house, Bulma cursed the size of the Brief mansion. A huge house was always an asset she'd favored, great for parties, but not when one had to sprint through it, dodging the furniture and cleaning bots just to get to one's own backyard. 'Well if he blew himself up, maybe he'll get a good hard knock on the head and end up nicer.' Bulma thought as she remembered what had happened to Goku when he was a baby. 'And speaking of Goku, I wonder how Chi Chi's taking his return and departure for training . . .' Bulma's thought drifted.  
  
When she finally opened the backdoor, she froze in shock. Pieces of the GT were strewn all over the yard, ruining most of her mother's beautiful gardens. The GT had stood off to the left, but now it was nothing but a pile of rubble. The beautiful spring day was marred by the devastation in her back yard.  
  
Shaking off her paralyzation, Bulma ran over to the rubble, underneath which she knew Vegeta must be. She dropped down on her hands and knees and frantically started clearing away the rubble. 'If he's dead . . .' she allowed herself to think, "I will never forgive myself for letting him work so hard.' At that moment a hand shot out of the rubble in front of her and to the left. She jumped slightly, startled, and grasped it, pulling Vegeta up and out of the debris.  
  
Vegeta coughed and protested weakly as he tried to stand. 'Just what exactly had gone wrong?' Vegeta wondered. He'd been warming down, having decided to quit early to raid the kitchen, when he'd felt a burst of anger. It wasn't even what Frieza would've described as 'productive anger'. He'd just felt angry, vented, and now here he was, being pulled out of the rubble by the weak human female who yelled a lot and annoyed him, but she was gorgeous and she fixed things when he wanted her to, so he tolerated her. Still, what was that ringing in his head and why did he feel as if he'd just had a fight with Kakarott and lost big time?  
  
"Vegeta, can you hear me? Can you hear me?" Bulma asked as she helped him sit up.  
  
"Of course I can. I'm not deaf." Vegeta mumbled as he passed out. Bulma laid him down gently and ran into the house, screaming for her parents. Abruptly she remembered they'd gone to a conference, so she grabbed the holophone on the back porch and pressed the 'Emergency Room' button. The medics arrived a few minutes later along with her parents, who only seemed vaguely worried at the sirens.  
  
In the end, her parents had Vegeta, still unconscious, installed in the infirmary and her father began programming some bots to rebuild the GT.  
  
"Bulma honey?" Mrs. Briefs called from the living room, where she'd been seeing off the medics.  
  
"Yeah, Mom?" Bulma asked, walking into the room from the infirmary.  
  
"Do you think we should call Goku and ask him when Vegeta will recover? Those medics said a month, but they had Goku in a full body cast and said six months and he was okay in two weeks. Besides, I'm sure Goku would like to see if his friend's okay. I told Chi Chi what happened, she called for you a few minutes ago to ask you if you two were still on for tomorrow. Are you two going shopping? Well should we invite him over honey? He could be here real soon and I haven't seen him in such a long time. Why that was before you went to Namek! Come to think of it-"  
  
"Mom! I'm not sure Vegeta would like it if his . . .friend . . . saw him in such a weakened state. Shouldn't we ask him?" Bulma stalled.  
  
"Well I guess you're right honey. He does have his pride. But as they say 'Pride goeth before a fall.' He's such a nice young man though, and so well mannered-"  
  
"Mom I want you to know I broke up with Yamcha for good this time."  
  
"Ahhhhh!" Mrs. Brief hugged her daughter and jumped a couple of times. "I was hoping you would. I'm so happy, honey, and your father is too! Yamcha is a nice young man but honey, he's been playing you. And there are sooo many other gentlemen out there more faithful then him. I'm glad you two are over. Let me go and tell your father the good news, he's in the lab of course. The conference went well by the way and your dad decided to start a scholarship with the extra zenii. Oh it's wonderful Bulma! Oh that Vegeta blew himself up on such a nice day. I know he would've wanted to hear the news. Oh well. I'll tell him tomorrow when he wakes up. He's such a nice young man. Well it's late. I think I'll just head to bed. We had dinner at the conference you know. Make yourself something honey. Goodnight. And tell Vegeta goodnight if he wakes up." with that Mrs. Brief fairly skipped up the stairs.  
  
Bulma simply shook her head, trying to visualize Vegeta's reaction when her mom told Vegeta about the scholarship. And who was this 'nice young man' her mom kept talking about? 'Really,' Bulma thought 'my parents can be so dense it's unbelievable. At least she's happy about Yamcha. I can hardly imagine what Vegeta would do if Goku came here and saw him in bed, unable to get out, . . . . . . He'd flip. He'd just flip.'  
  
Bulma made herself half a cheese sandwich, grabbed a sappy romance novel, and sat down at the table next to Vegeta's bed. 'Well I do feel a little guilty.' She thought after she finished her sandwich and sat gazing at him. 'He looks so much more peaceful asleep, like he must have when he was a toddler.' she smiled at that image. Vegeta in diapers. 'I did build that GT . . . but where else would he train? I guess I'm glad he's here to add a little spice to my life . . . someone to argue with, he he he . . .' and she drifted off to sleep ' . . . I think I'll change my hair tomorrow . . . . . . curls are over-rated . . . maybe he'll like it better . . . . . . . . ."  
  
***********  
  
Sleep was torture now. All he dreamed of was Kakarott and that other super saiyan boy. They taunted him. Oh he knew Kakarott wouldn't really taunt him. It was just that he never remembered that while he was dreaming. There were the forms of the androids. There was Frieza. There were Nappa, King Vegeta, his mother, Raditz, they were all still alive here. There were the Ginyu force, Zarbon, and King Yamu, whom he'd seen in the Other World sp long ago it seemed, when he'd been dead.  
  
Dead. He'd found that death wasn't so horrible, so final, as he'd thought. It was just a new dimension, a starting over perhaps. King Yama hadn't known what to do with him, but he'd been wished back before Yama had made a decision, so that wasn't so bad. Vegeta didn't really want to know anyway.  
  
And there in a bright haze was someone mysterious, a slender figure he couldn't quite see, that beckoned. It was a woman and he was drawn to her, but who was she? Yes, here comes the part. He gave in and floated towards her. It took ages . . . a few more seconds and he could see her face. But the light was too bright. He was awake. He opened his eyes - and saw the woman with that ridiculously curly hair asleep with her head down on a table beside his bed. Vegeta stared at her for a few moments. 'What's she doing here? Why am I in the infirmary?' Then it all came back to him in a rush - the feelings of anger at a betrayal, resolve to push his body to the max, releasing his ki in one big rush, misjudging the speed, and explosion, summoning enough strength to reach his hand up, felling the warm clasp of a small hand, half standing, being pulled from the rubble by her so he could breathe again, saying of course I can hear, dreaming, and then now.  
  
And here she was. 'But why is she here?' Vegeta asked himself. 'Does she feel sorry for me? weak human woman . . . '  
  
He dozed off once again, this time slipping easily into a dreamless sleep.  
  
*************  
  
"Rise and shine sir! My you've had a time of it, what with your accident and all. It's time for me to get your vital signs, hon." an insanely cheerful female voice chattered. Vegeta slowly swam into consciousness and beheld a woman in a white uniform of some sort bustling around the infirmary, opening the curtains. With a slight pang, he noticed Bulma was gone.  
  
Slowly, as if moving through water, he lifted his right arm and moved the oxygen mask to the left side of his head so he could talk. He was displeased to realize that that simple action drained a surprising amount of his energy.  
  
"Who are you? Did I give you the right to come in here and barge in on me?! Get out." he scowled, radiating malice.  
  
"Well now. You're just a little cranky. Not a morning person are we? I'll just take your pulse and your temperature now, hon." the nurse chattered, coming towards him.  
  
"I am not 'just a little cranky'. I'm not going to die, so leave before I get angry."  
  
The nurse stopped a foot away from the bed. "Now don't you threaten me. You could still die, so just let me-"  
  
"GET OUT!" Vegeta roared, impatient, looking more furious thatn ever and mustering the strength to sit up. He scowled, eyes cold and hard.  
  
The nurse backed up towards the door, picking up her bag. "If you'd just-" she started timidly.  
  
"LEAVE!" Vegeta ordered, relishing the moment as fear washed over the nurse's face.  
  
She turned and fairly flew out the door, not bothering to slam it behind her.  
  
'What's wrong with me, that I scare a weak human female and feel as if I've won a battle?' Vegeta hated to admit it, but that other female, the blue haired scientist, Bulma, he allowed himself to think, wasn't scared of him anymore. And her mother was too dumb to be scared. He'd been a little afraid that all humans were like that - either they yelled a lot or where too dumb for their own good and couldn't be intimidated. 'At least that one gave me the respect I deserve, even in this weakened state.' he thought, and settled down to sulk over the waste of training time. 


	3. Lots of Yelling

Can't Resist - Chapter 3 - Lots of Yelling   
  
"Oh Miss Brief! I can't work with that man. He chased me out like, like he was royalty and I was one of his lowly subjects. That man is no good. He scares me and I am not ashamed to admit it. You'll have to watch him yourself." the nurse babbles in a rush to Bulma, who'd been sunbathing in the backyard.  
  
Bulma had woken early for once and gone to the hairstylist, who'd restored her hair to it's normal, straight waist-length state with bangs. Then she'd munched toast in a small, exclusive café and come home. She'd checked on Vegeta to make sure he hadn't died or anything, and changed into her two piece to sunbathe. It had been very relaxing until this nurse, who she supposed one of her parents had let in, had rushed, breathless, towards her.  
  
"What do you mean I have to watch him!?!" Bulma yelled, rising and facing the nurse.  
  
"I mean the patient would likely kill me before he'd let me take his temperature and I don't wanna die! I'm sorry ma'am. I'm leaving my kit with you. There are instructions." she backed away.  
  
"Wait! Can't someone else come?" Bulma cried. "I don't know what to do!"  
  
"Sorry, there's no one else. The bill will be along in a few days. Keep the equipment-it's on the house. Gotta go."  
  
"Wait! He'll apologize! . . . You can't just leave . . ."Bulma yelled, but apparently the nurse could just leave. And she did. 'I bet the bill'll be as long as my arm. I just hope she doesn't sue. That Vegeta! He's going to pay for this, the ungrateful jerk. I know he's awake too, why I oughtta . . ." Bulma grumbled as she marched inside to the infirmary. 'It's the warmest spring day ever, I can actually wear a bikini outside, and Vegeta ruins it, just like that! The moron! Why do I have to be the one? Why Kami? I just wish I knew why!' She shook her head as she swung into the hallway that led to the infirmary door.  
  
"Vegeta! What did you do to her you moron? Don't take out your petty anger on her! You are nothing but a pompous, one track minded fool! But you already knew that didn't you?!" Bulma yelled as she entered the room.  
  
Vegeta glared at her, then looked away, carefully placing a scowl on his face. 'What is she so angry about? And what is she wearing? Or rather, not wearing?' a little voice whispered. He annihilated it.  
  
"Don't you ignore me! That nurse was scared to death! She thought you were gonna kill her and all she was doing was checking on you. On your health! Well! . . . . Say something" Bulma demanded, standing beside the bed and plopping down rather hard on Vegeta's leg.  
  
He winced and moved his leg away, then turned to look at her. She'd changed her hair yet again, but he admitted she looked better this way. The curls had been annoying.  
  
"Did you fix the GT yet?"  
  
"NO I DID NOT! DID YOU REALLY THINK I'D WASTE MY TIME?! I DOUBT YOU CAN EVEN STAND! DON'T GET ANY IDEAS ABOUT TRAINING! AND JUST SO YOU DON'T, I WON'T FIX IT UNTIL I FEEL LIKE IT! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T! SO JUST SHUT UP SO I CAN TAKE YOU TEMPERATURE SINCE YOU CHASED THE STUPID NURSE AWAY!" Bulma yelled, feeling pleased when Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise for just a moment. She rummaged around in the kit, came up with a thermometer, and jammed it in Vegeta's mouth. He seemed about to spit it out, but she gave him a warning look and so he just sat. Sighing, she plopped down on the bed and looked at the wall clock.  
  
When a minute was up, she took the thermometer out. She glanced at it. "What temperature are saiyans supposed to have?" she asked Vegeta calmly, as if she hadn't been yelling at him a few moments before.  
  
"How should I know? Frieza never took my temperature." Vegeta scoffed.  
  
"Well I'll just ask Chi Chi when she gets here then."  
  
"What, Kakarott's mate?"  
  
"She's his wife." Bulma said icily. "Wife is the proper term." "Hrmph." was the only reply.  
  
Bulma consulted the instructions. "Hmm. It says to take your pulse and blood pressure with this gadget. She pulled out a portable machine. "Let me slip this on . . . just here? No it says higher . . . and this goes here, okay then . . ."  
  
His arm was wonderfully muscular and tan, and surprisingly he smelled pleasing, earthy yet not this planet, maybe Vegeta-sei?   
  
As the machine did it's job, Bulma laughed.  
  
"You know, I don't know what a saiyan's blood pressure and pulse are supposed to be anyway, so this is kinda pointless. Relax will you? I still want an accurate reading." she ordered, annoyed.  
  
"Well I don't see why you need all this. I'll be fine in a couple day's anyway. You can leave too, just like that nurse."  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Some people." she muttered, undoing the pressure cuff. "Hmm, one twenty over eighty, well that's a normal pressure, but 90 degrees as a temp?"  
  
"You can leave now." Vegeta said, allowing a hint of annoyance to creep into his voice.  
  
"I DIDN'T NEED YOUR PERMISSION TO COME AND I CERTAINLY DON'T NEED IT TO GO! SO JUST SIT TIGHT AND WAIT UNTIL I'M THROUGH!" Bulma yelled once again.  
  
Despite himself, Vegeta felt a little unsettled. It was too hard to predict her moods, and his head ached, from the explosion he guessed.   
  
"Fine." he said flatly, scowling at her. "So where's your chump boyfriend?", he asked, trying to hurt her. He knew it was petty, but he needed the advantage.  
  
"He's not a chump and he's not my boyfriend anymore if you're talking about Yamcha. I threw him out yesterday, if you must know." Bulma answered snobbishly as she replaced the nurse's equipment kit. 'Gosh,' she thought, 'why does Vegeta care about me and Yamcha?. . . He was probably going in for a low blow, the jerk.'  
  
"That's more than I wanted to know." Vegeta glared back at her.  
  
"Good, then don't ever ask again." Bulma replied. "We'll forget all the other stuff it says to do in here. You can go to the bathroom on your own can't you?"  
  
He just glared at her.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes. I don't think we have a bedpan anyway. When you get hungry just beep the call button on the side of the bed. Vera's already started on lunch though, since it is past noon . . ." Bulma stopped talking and glared back at Vegeta. "You know, I would stay with you, but Chi Chi and I have been planning this trip for a while."  
  
"I don't need you to stay with me; what gave you that idea." Vegeta scoffed.  
  
"I know you don't silly. But I thought you might want me to."  
  
Vegeta remained silent.  
  
"Okay then. Chi Chi and I will see you when we get back. I'm off to change and pick her up . . . Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Do you want me to bring her back to talk to you about your vital signs?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Okay. Then I'll see you when I get back." Bulma stood and walked to the doorway, dropping the nurse's kit off to one side. "Vegeta? Do I seem like I am of sound mind?"  
  
He regarded her, surprised. "Sometimes."  
  
Bulma frowned. "Ha ha. I mean now, at this moment, do I seem perfectly rational?"  
  
Vegeta stared at her, standing in the doorway in her bathing suit, a picture of youth and beauty and sanity. She looked content and honest, she wasn't trying to trick him. "Ye-es." he said carefully.  
  
She nodded. "Good. Then if I ever, EVER, EVER go back to Yamcha I want you to smack me. Hard. I don't want to, but I just might." she glanced down at her bare feet, worried for a moment. "Promise me you will. I can't trust anyone else to so it, to really smack me. Oh I'll probably hate you for it at first, but then I'll remember this day. Umm. Not too hard though . . . So promise."  
  
"Fine. I promise. It's stupid though."  
  
"Okay. Good."  
  
**********  
  
"Well I'm glad you broke up with Yamcha. I mean I like him, but he cheated on you. I guess you can allow once, but no more." Chi Chi chattered on as they browsed the clothing racks of a department store. "My Goku has never been unfaithful once in all the time since we've been married. Of course, sometimes I get the feeling Goku isn't the marriage type. All he really wanted was to train until I dragged him into a relationship. Kami, did he need dragging." Chi Chi chuckled a little sadly. "But you're split with Yamcha is definitely a good thing."  
  
"Thanks Chi Chi. I can hardly believe I've done it. This time it's for real. I even told Vegeta to smack me if I did get back with him."  
  
"Chi Chi laughed. "Somehow, I can't imagine him doing that."  
  
Bulma was surprised. "You can't? Well I can. I even hold him not too hard." she joined Chi Chi in laughter. "But I was serious and I guess I still am."  
  
"Speaking of Vegeta, how's he recovering? Didn't the doctors say a month?"  
  
"They also said a week to consciousness, but he was awake by noon." Bulma mock sighed. "He even managed to scare the visiting nurse out of her wits so she dumped the duties on me. Um, what's a saiyans temperature supposed to be?"  
  
Chi Chi shrugged, "Goku's is a little below a human's. I guess 96. Pulse is much faster except when he's asleep and BP's the same as any humans. For Goku anyway . . . Gohan is in between his father and me. Vegeta'll be up in a few days I guess, though he'll probably try to make it a couple days so he can get back to his training. Goku's that way too."  
  
"Oh. Well I've got the training thing taken care of. He blew up the GT so I just won't fix it for a while. Unless he goes behind my back and gets my dad to fix it I guess. Which he probably will." Bulma said thoughtfully, trying to predict what his next move would be. And she was sure he would make a move . . . 'Well what do I care?' she thought, angry with herself. 'What do I care?'  
  
"I guess Vegeta's not as bad as he wants us to think he is huh?" Chi Chi asked.  
  
"I don't know." Bulma answered truthfully. "It's that temper of his. I guess I'd end up rebuilding the GT if he went off on me. I mean he probably wouldn't kill me, but there's a risk all the same . . ."  
  
"Oh come off it, Bulma. He won't kill you. The man could blow up our whole planet. But he hasn't. He and the guys want to face these androids I guess. I mean otherwise they could just blow up the planet and the androids will never exist. Men. Don't ask me." Chi Chi rolled her eyes.  
  
"You're right. . . . You know, I think our cook, Vera, has fallen in love with Vegeta. She loves his appetite and his manners. She was weeping buckets when she heard about his accident . . ."  
  
*************  
  
"Well now how's it going, son?" Dr. Brief asked, coming into the room and petting the tiny black cat on his left shoulder.  
  
"I understand that here it is a custom to call men younger than yourself son, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't." Vegeta replied moodily, continuing to stare out the window.  
  
"Of course, of course. My wife sent me to ask if there was anything you needed . . . is there?. . . no? . . . Well she's coming up with your dinner so I'll just be going then." Dr. Brief mumbled.  
  
"Wait. I need you to rebuild the GT. I will be ready to train in a couple of days." Vegeta ordered. "Umm. Bulma said she'd do it. I really have a bunch to do. My company has just . . ."  
  
Vegeta turned to stare furiously at the doctor. "Forget what your daughter said old man. I need to train. So start building NOW!"  
  
Dr. Brief gulped. "Sure Vegeta. I'll just go and get the blue prints-"  
  
"Then go before I get really angry, human." Vegeta scowled.  
  
Dr. Brief hurriedly left.  
  
'When will these pathetic humans learn that unless I train they will die in 3 years?' Vegeta thought to himself as he turned back to the window. 'And that gadget girl, she thinks she can control me when I'm hurt like this. She probably gets a kick out of it. Idiot. With that heart disease, Kakarott may not make it. I suppose I could simply leave, but I'd have to face them sooner or later. Better that it's sooner. Besides, the GT is here and I might break it if I took it with me. And I am not taking that girl with me. At least the food's good, though the servant cook is almost as annoying as that girl. Where is she anyway? Something to do with Kakkarott's mate . . . Chi Chi wasn't she called.'  
  
"Oh Vegeta. I hear you put my husband straight to work rebuilding the GT." Mrs. Brief said happily, bustling in with a tray of lemonade. "I have the most wonderful news. My husband's company has put up money for a scholarship program for college kids. Isn't it wonderful? I knew you'd be happy. It happened at the conference yesterday. It was my idea, but I'm modest about stuff like that, hehe." she chattered, placing the tray down on the bedside table.  
  
This woman's talking it incessant.' Vegeta thought turning politely to look at her. 'Why is she always so happy? I can hardly stand it!'  
  
"So how are you feeling after the explosion, honey? Better I hope. You were knocked unconscious. The doctors said it would take you a month to recover, but you seem in so much better shape today. I see you're off the oxygen too. I'll just take it out into the hallway. My daughter called and said she'd be back in a few minutes. She said to tell you . . . Now what was it? Oh yes, she said to tell you she'll be up to check on you as soon . . . now what was it? Oh, yes. She said to tell you she'll be up to check on you as soon as she gets back and to stay in bed. But I don't really see how you could get out though. Did Vera give you a good lunch when she came up a few hours ago? She babies you too much, Vegeta. I think it's just that I don't eat very much and my husband is always grabbing just a sandwich. And of course Bulma's constantly on some diet or another. You're the only one who can eat so much and still stay fit as a fiddle, except Goku of course. She does love it when he comes for lunch. And Yamcha was a pig too, but not as much as you are. Oh you're not a pig hon, you have such wonderful manners. It's fascinating to watch you eat so quickly and not spill a drop. Goku is rather a pig when it comes to that. He he. Well listen to me. I haven't let you get a word in edgewise. I'm so sorry." Mrs. Brief said as she moved the oxygen machine into the hallway. "I'll have a robot take that to the lab. I'm sure I remember my husband saying he wanted to design a better one."  
  
A door slammed downstairs.  
  
"Well that must be Bulma. I'll send her right up so you two can share lemonade. Of course she'll have to put her things in her room first. Oh, that reminds me. I don't want you sleeping in the GT anymore, so I'm going to fix a room for you right by the kitchen. Oh let me go get started now. It was so nice talking to you, Vegeta. Get better soon, okay hon? Well ta ta.", and Mrs. Brief left the room and skipped off down the hallway.  
  
'Finally. I don't know how much more I can take sometimes. If she used half the energy to fight as she does to talk, we wouldn't have to worry about the androids.' Vegeta smirked to himself.  
  
"What are you smirking about, Vegeta?" Bulma asked, coming into the room with four or five shopping bags and plopping down in front of the lemonade. "Whew. I'm thirsty." she said, pouring herself a glass. "Why are you here, woman?"  
  
"Because I bought you a few essentials while I was out and I want your opinion on them." Bulma answered lightly.  
  
"I'm sure they're fine, just put them downstairs. Your mother is furnishing a room for me."  
  
"Oh, the one next to the kitchen." Bulma nodded. "Well the least you could say is thank you since I went through all this trouble. Now I've gotta lug them downstairs." she sighed. "I also found out that you had my dad start on new blueprints for the GT." Bulma said slowly, pouring Vegeta a glass of lemonade. "I already told you that I'd build it when I thought you were ready . . . Do you have anything to say about this?" she asked, finally looking up and glaring at him.  
  
'Uh oh. Hey, what am I worried about? She can't possibly do anything to hurt me. But Bulma is a little scary when she yells. Her teeth get razor sharp like a shark's and she slowly turns bright red. Wait a second, how do I know what a shark is? These earthling nature documentaries must be making me soft. He he. But Bulma is still pretty, even if she looks like she's about to eat me alive. She looks more like a saiyan then.' Vegeta thought in a rush. He glanced down at her hand, which was holding the lemonade glass so rigidly that her knuckles were turning white. 'This is not good.' he thought, and summoned up his courage to reply.  
  
"Everything you said is true, woman." he replied in his usual tone.  
  
"Didn't I already tell you I'd fix it? . . . Well, I will! I already drew up the blueprints you big moron! IT'LL BE READY IN FOUR DAYS, SO WHAT DID YOU GO WHINING TO MY FATHER FOR?!" Bulma fairly screamed at him. "YOU HAVE TWO WHOLE YEARS! WHAT'S THE BIG RUSH?!!", she finished.  
  
'Darn, what a low-down, sneaky lush. With him the only way to get the message across is to scream at him.' Bulma thought.  
  
"Oh.", Vegeta said. 'Oops.' he thought. 'But she really does seem like a saiyan warrior. I guess a couple years ago I would have simply blown her up for her impertinence. What a waste that would have been. I wouldn't have a GT. Well I'd better suck it up and try to get it out of her in three days. I should have gained my full strength by that time.'  
  
"WELL?! EXPLAIN! You know what, don't even go there. I don't want to know the pathetic reasoning that goes on in that poor excuse you call a brain. I was thinking about getting the GT to you a day earlier, but now I'm not even going to consider it. In three days I am taking you on a day vacation and you are gonna like it. Now drink your lemonade!"  
  
'What is that little witch talking about?" Vegeta wondered as he took the glass from her hand and drank.  
  
"Yeah, you heard me right! You're probably thinking -What is that little witch talking about?-Well I'll tell you what I'm talking about! YOU - ME, WE'RE GOING! NOW GOODNIGHT! I'll talk to you tomorrow and you better have tried on your new clothes BECAUSE YOU ARE GONNA WEAR THEM! GOT IT? GOOD!"  
  
Bulma marched out of her room feeling angry, justified, and satisfied. The stunned look on Vegeta's face was worth the strained vocal chords. 


	4. PreTrip Jitters

Can't Resist - Chapter 4 - Pretrip Jitters   
  
The next three days passed quickly. Vegeta had decided it was best to do as the girl asked and avoid her wrath. It disturbed him and he knew he'd recover better if she was calm. He'd moved into the room next to the kitchen. To his surprise, he actually liked the room which was large and open. He noticed to his satisfaction that he had a king size bed with drapes which he felt was as up to his standards as he could get on Earth. There were french doors that opened out to a walkway which wound it's way through Mrs. Brief's garden and to the GT. And it was coming along fine. Bulma, correction, the blue-haired witch, had designed it bigger and better, credit had to be awarded for that. And in the mean time he watched his bg screen tv, did calisthenics, and pigged out. Bulma had yelled at him twice for emptying the fridge. Could he be blamed for his appetite? Still, he found himself a little apprehensive about this day long vacation thing . . .  
  
*****************  
  
"Bulma was pleased that Vegeta seemed satisfied. Meanwhile, she was unusually moody, even she could admit it to herself. She'd mostly moped around, thinking about her pathetic excuse for a love life. A couple times she'd gabbed on the phone with Chi Chi, but Chi Chi was usually busy fixing some meal or another for Goku and Gohan. 'I need a little excitement.' Bulma thought as she stared out the window one night at the city lights. Here I am in the thick of it all and I'm as languid as a jellyfish. Hmm, the beach would be a nice trip, but I can't imagine Vegeta staying there the whole day. Besides, Yamcha might goes there everyday to pick up girls, Tien told me. I don't want to meet him there.' Bulma sighed and laid down, slipping under the covers. 'A picnic in the country? Yeah right . . . . . a dance club? . . . hehehe. That would be funny, besides, that's not the whole day and I don't know how well I could handle a drunk saiyan.' she smiled to herself. 'I need some excitement . . . and a chance to beat on Vegeta, he's got it coming to him, holing up like a hermit as soon as he could walk . . . an amusement park! Yeah. I'll borrow Gohan for the day . . .'  
  
****************  
  
"Goku, you and Gohan are training much too hard lately." Chi Chi said as the small family set down to dinner.  
  
Goku gulped down a bowlful of rice, "What do you mean, Chi Chi? We've hardly even gotten under way.", he popped a chicken into his mouth and spit out the bones. "We haven't even asked Piccolo to train with us yet and you know how much Gohan likes him." Goku gulped a gallon of soup down his throat.  
  
"Well I think Gohan deserves a vacation. He's just a little boy and he's been dragged off into the wilderness to train one too many times, right Gohan?" Chi Chi asked, giving him a worried look.  
  
"Umm . . . " Gohan mumbled, looking from one parent to the other. "Well I like training, Mom -" he started.  
  
Chi Chi's eyes grew big and she started crying loudly.  
  
"- but I guess I could use a vacation." Gohan tried to amend over the sound of his mother crying.  
  
"Yeah Chi Chi, he can go." Goku added, stuffing a chicken leg in his mouth and rising to comfort his wife.  
  
"Really, Goku?" she asked, sniffling.  
  
"Of course, honey. What'd you have in mind?" Goku asked, sitting back down and consuming ten more bowls of rice.  
  
Gohan stopped eating and looked curiously at his mother. "It's not got anything to do with studying has it?"  
  
Chi Chi glared at her son and he looked down at his plate. "Sorry, Mom."  
  
"No. Bulma called and she wants to take you to White Water Park tomorrow." Chi Chi said casually, sipping her soup.  
  
Gohan spit his mouthful across the table, spraying his dad with rice kernels.  
  
"Gohan!" Chi Chi exclaimed reproachfully. "Sorry Dad! Really? White Water Park? I heard about that on TV!" Gohan exclaimed. "Can I go?"  
  
"Of course. As long as your father says you can." Chi Chi said, pleased to make her son so happy.  
  
"Sure, Gohan. I don't see why not." Goku said smiling. He resumed annihilating a leg of mutton.  
  
"Thanks! I can't wait!" Gohan exclaimed, beaming.  
  
"There's one catch." Chi Chi spoke up.  
  
Gohan's face fell. "What, Mom? Do I have to get extra homework or something?"  
  
Chi Chi laughed, "No, nothing like that." She pinched Goku on his arm. "Listen, Goku.", he looked at her while he continued to slurp another gallon of soup. "It'll be you, Bulma, and Vegeta going."  
  
Gohan's mouth dropped open and Goku fell over backwards, sending a fountain of soup up to rain on Gohan's head. Gohan, fearful he might drown, threw himself out of his chair sideways and landed on the kitchen floor.  
  
Chi Chi waited patiently for her men to climb up from their positions on the floor before she continued. "Well you both know how Vegeta blew up the GT and hurt himself. Bulma wanted to do something to take her mind off Yamcha and so this is what she came up with."  
  
"I'll bet she did." Goku commented to himself and snickered.  
  
"What was that Goku?" Chi Chi asked.  
  
Goku blushed and put his hand behind his head. "Hehehe. I just said if it's fine with you, it's fine with me, that's all." he resumed eating. "Sorry Gohan, about the soup I mean, haha. Do you still want to go?"  
  
"What do you mean? Of course he still wants to go!" Chi Chi said indignantly. "Don't you, Gohan?"  
  
"Sure I do. With Vegeta there, Bulma will yell at him and not me. I can't wait, Mom!"  
  
*********************  
  
"Are you done yet, Vegeta?", Bulma asked irritably as he finished up his tenth plate of pancakes.  
  
"Don't rush him, Miss Brief.", Vera said quietly, awed. "His eating is an art."  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Well make him something to go. It'll take two hours to get to Goku's and pick up Gohan."  
  
Vera looked hurt. "Yes ma'am.", she said reluctantly and bustled off to pack the food, taking their plates away.  
  
"I still don't see why you want to take the mop-top along.", Vegeta said grumpily.  
  
"We've been over this, Vegeta. I'm not explaining again. You'll like the park.", Bulma said patiently, standing from the table.  
  
"Hrmph.", was Vegeta's reply as he too stood. "Your ditz of a mother warned me about your driving. If -"  
  
"MY MOTHER IS NOT A DITZ!", Bulma yelled. "Well . . ."  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hey, she's the only mother I've got so I have to stick up for her. She's always more than nice to you so LAY OFF HER!"  
  
"Fine. Sorry." Vegeta said as he walked over to the door and disappeared outside.  
  
Bulma turned blue and fell over. 'Did he just say what I think he said?', Bulma wondered to herself as she lay on the floor, stunned. 'Well I guess he doesn't want me yelling at him all day. It's a miracle in itself he even agreed to come, the big lug. He's no pushover, that's for sure. I guess I like him that way though.', she thought, grabbing the table and rising. 'It makes it a lot more fun when I break down his defenses.', Bulma smiled, slung her backpack easily over her shoulder, and followed Vegeta out the door.  
  
"Bye Miss Bulma! Bye Vegeta! Eat well, you hear?", Vera called, waving as the Capsule Corp. car raised, hovering into the air. "Eat everything I packed because Miss Bulma will likely starve you!"  
  
*******************  
  
Bulma rolled down the windows. "I'M NOT GOING TO STARVE HIM YOU CRAZY KOOK!" she yelled, flooring the gas pedal. "The nerve of that woman!", she fumed as they came to a screeching halt at an intersection. "You'd think I was a stingy old lady, the way she talks."  
  
"Calm down or we won't even make it to Kakarott's house to pick up the mop-top." Vegeta scowled, alarmed at the evasion of the five or six accidents he'd just witnessed.  
  
"Fine." Bulma seethed, not really angry with Vegeta, who proceeded tearing through the basket of food Vera had packed once they were out of the city and flying through the countryside.  
  
"Uh oh." Bulma said suddenly when they were only a half hour away from Goku's house. "I forgot to fill her up. Tell me if you see a gas station - oh never mind, here's one." she pointed out, pulling into a spot next to a pump. "Hold on a couple of minutes." she got out and went inside the gas station to pre-pay.  
  
Vegeta wasn't sure how he was feeling about this vacation. Breakfast had been tasty, and it had felt good to hear Bulma yelling at someone besides himself. She was actually an okay driver once they'd gotten away from the city and she'd calmed down enough to let him relax. It was puzzling the way his moods were influenced by hers. 'Oh well. This amusement park thing might not bo too bad.', Vegeta thought. When he'd protested she'd given him this thing about how she hated crowds but she was doing it anyway so he'd better suck it up and like it. Then she'd yelled some more, blah, blah, blah and he'd been struck by how saiyan-like she'd looked and how much he admired her. Then he'd insulted her and went to his room.  
  
Now, she came out of the gas station looking serene and he was relieved no one had done anything to set her off. Still, he couldn't resist a jibe.  
  
"What are you looking so smug about? Just get asked out by some local-yokel?"  
  
Bulma looked surprised. "If you must know, I was just complimented on my beauty by a nice guy when I paid for the gas. Even though I declined his invitation, I thank hin for doing wonders for my self-esteem." she tossed her hair and continued pumping.  
  
Vegeta just laughed and continued looking at her. 'How did he know?', Bulma wondered. 'The rat, he must have been spying on me . . . But I know he hasn't moved.' she chanced a glance at him, but he was still looking so she looked away again. 'Oh well. It must've been a lucky guess. That guy was cute though, maybe I should have said yes to a night out . . . oh well. It's too late now. I wonder how Gohan took the fact that Vegeta's coming? I bet Goku fell over.' she smirked and slipped back into the car.  
  
"Stop staring at me so I can drive.", Bulma ordered after a few minutes. She could feel Vegeta's eyes on her. 'It's not a bad thing, but it is unsettling.' she thought.  
  
"Fine." Vegeta turned to stare out at the countryside.  
  
"Oh don't give in so easy, a girl likes to be appreciated." Bulma said, annoyed, surprising herself.  
  
"I'm not going to humor you, woman."  
  
"Don't call me woman, call me Bulma. Just once. Just one leeeetle time . . . I won't look at the road until you do." Bulma said, turning towards him and closing her eyes.  
  
"What!?! That's suicide!"  
  
"Well if you don't wanna die again say my name!" Bulma demanded, pressing her foot down harder on the accelerator.  
  
"Blackmailer! You idiot! Look where you're going!" Vegeta yelled, reaching over to take control.  
  
Bulma laughed as he jerked the controls to the right and they narrowly avoided a mountain. "Say it! Say it! You know the way back, so say it! Say it!"  
  
"Ughhh. Woman, you try my patience! You're making me mad. Ahh!" Vegeta involuntarily cried as he jerked the controls yet again to avoid a looming forest. He pulled them up so the car flew higher. "Bulma, you're an imbecile." he said coldly.  
  
"Ahhh!" Bulma said happily, popping her eyes open and directing the car towards the Son house. "You said it, you said it!"  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Just drive, woman."  
  
Bulma laughed. "Wow Vegeta! I think you found a short cut, there's Goku's house." She pushed the controls down and the car soon hovered a foot above the ground. Bulma beeped the horn and got out. "Hey Bulma! Hey Vegeta!" Goku said, coming around the side of the house. "I was just finishing my morning training."  
  
"Hi, Goku. How's it going? Where are Gohan and Chi Chi?" Bulma asked, walking over to him.  
  
"In the house. I'm sure they heard your horn. They'll be right out. Listen, I wanna thank you for taking Gohan. Apparently he's heard of this park and he wanted to go anyway."  
  
"No prob, Goku. He's a cute kid and he saved my life a couple times to I guess I owe him."  
  
"Okay. Well thanks, Bulma. Good luck with Vegeta." Goku said and winked. "Hey Vegeta! You wanna step out and stretch your legs? Say hello to my wife?" he asked, raising his voice.  
  
"I'm fine here, Kakarott." Vegeta yelled in a bored voice. 'Kakarott's home is so tiny. Fit for a third class warrior like his father was . . . still, it does give the appearance of comfort.'  
  
Goku shrugged and looked at Bulma as if to say - well, I tried - and disappeared inside his home.  
  
Bulma came back over to the car and leaned against the passenger side door. "Vegeta, you have zilch social skills. Here we are a man's house and you refuse to get out and walk around for even a moment. What's more, you don't even say hello or even 'hrmph' by way of greeting. If this wasn't such a beautiful spring day I'd scream at you, you know that?"   
  
"Whatever." Vegeta said and grimaced as the whole Son family came out yelling at each other.  
  
There was a round of 'hello's in which Vegeta participated in, but only with a customary nod. Then Chi Chi hovered over her son and gave him last minute instructions while Goku hovered in the background. And finally Bulma simply opened the backseat door, Gohan climbed in and she hopped up into the driver's seat. Then the two parents waved and Chi Chi yelled at Goku for something or the other and they were off to White Water Park.  
  
"Thanks for taking me, Bulma." Gohan said once they'd finally got away.  
  
"Hey, no problem kid. It'll be fun. I've even got my suit on under this so I can come on the water rides with you."  
  
"Cool. Last time I went to a park my mom wouldn't let me go on the water rides 'cause she thought I'd get pneumonia or something." Gohan said enthusiastically.  
  
"That sounds just like Chi Chi." Bulma laughed, shaking her head. She glanced at her watch. "Well it's only 9:30 so we should be there just when the park opens at eleven. Hope you brought something to do for the car ride there."  
  
Gohan rummaged around in the backpack he'd brought. "Yup. I have a tape. Would you put it in?" he handed the tape to Bulma. "And I brought a video game. Dad bought it when Mom was out shopping with you.", he snickered. "Mom doesn't approve of video games, she says the Internet is bad enough." he grew suddenly worried. "Don't tell her I said that, alright?"  
  
"I won't." Bulma said, popping in the tape. Brian McKnight's voice filled the capsule car and Bulma rolled the windows up and put on the air conditioning. "You have nice taste in music Gohan." Bulma remarked, humming along.  
  
"Thanks." Gohan mumbled and fully immersed himself in the 2d world of video games.  
  
"What is this insane drivel booming out of the speakers?" Vegeta asked in a disgusted tone.  
  
Bulma spoke slowly, as if to a two year old. "It's called - music. Did they have that on the planet you're from?" Bulma asked.  
  
"Of course." Vegeta retorted, "Just better."  
  
"I'm not going to let you phase me this time, Vegeta. We'll talk about you insulting Brian McKnight on a later date." Bulma replied and started singing along. 'Maybe he'll be so tired from his training that I can get a decent conversation out of him . . . Then again, maybe not.' 


	5. Tram Stops to Bumper Cars

Can't Resist - Chapter 5 - Tram Stops to Bumper Cars   
  
  
  
Vegeta was slowly turning green. 'It must be all this talk of love.' he thought. He'd already tried meditating, sleeping, passing out, melting the radio with his ki, talking over it (Bulma had told him to shut up), concentrating on the nature documentaries he loved, and turning it off. The last idea had been a REALLY bad idea, since Bulma had kept turning it back on and finally channeled her wrath on him. The brat, jerked from his video game oblivion, had wisely remained silent during that fiasco. So he'd sat and seethed until his anger melted into a vague nausea. It seemed the car ride had lasted forever until he was at the puking point. Suddenly, thankfully, Bulma turned off the music. Vegeta could feel his stomach settle and his normal color coming back to his face.  
  
Bulma frowned. 'I was starting to feel a little sick for some reason. Oh well. Turning off the music helped my mind clear.' she glanced over at Vegeta and then back at Gohan who was still deep into the video gam world. 'Well we're practically here now. I just hope I don't puke on a coaster. I can just imagine how that would turn out.' A picture of Vegeta drenched in puke flashed into her mind. He did NOT look happy.  
  
"We're here guys!" Bulma exclaimed. The forest receded and they could see a vast parking lot, beyond which rollercoasters soared through the sky.  
  
"Wow!" Gohan said laughing in delight and sticking his head between the front seats. "Let's go on the monorail first so I can see which rides I wanna go on."  
  
"Fine with me Gohan." Bulma said as they descended into the parking lot.  
  
Vegeta said nothing. 'But he isn't scowling for once. That's a plus.' Bulma thought as she pulled into a space. 'It's so annoying leaving the car here. I don't know why they don't want capsules on park property. Backpacks are so last year.' she thought shouldering hers and locking up the car after they'd all gotten out.  
  
It turned out that Vegeta's legs were cramped from sitting in the car so long, to they had to wait a couple of minutes for him to recouperate. Bulma gloated, Vegeta glared daggers, and Gohan looked politely away, towards the park. When Vegeta could walk again, they trudged to tram Stop number 3. Since the tram wasn't there yet, Bulma called a bathroom break and they missed the next two trams waiting for her.  
  
Finally Bulma came out and the tram came. Gohan hopped in first, then Bulma, then Vegeta.  
  
"These 'trams' as you call them are primitive." Vegeta commented to Bulma, who was surprised.  
  
"I always thought they were quaint." she replied, and went back to oohing and aahing with Gohan.  
  
'I always thought they were quaint.' Vegeta mimicked in his mind. 'Well I hope the whole park isn't like this.' He glanced past the trolley driver at the towering metal rides and tuned out the annoyingly cheerful sounding tram guide.  
  
"So how's it going with Vegeta?" Gohan asked, noticing the saiyan had tuned the world out.  
  
"Who told you to ask that?" Bulma asked, looking a little mad.  
  
"My dad." Gohan said hurriedly.  
  
Bulma's anger melted away. "Oh, Goku . . . well I'm not dead so I guess that's saying something. Tell him I'm fine and so is he." she jerked her head in Vegeta's direction. "Now forget about that Gohan. Let's just relax and have fun, well as much as you can relax around Vegeta."  
  
Gohan nodded. "Right . . . Yeah, we're here."  
  
Bulma nudged Vegeta as the tram stopped. "Get off silly." she linked her arm through his after they got off.  
  
"What are you doing, woman?" Vegeta asked, though he didn't jerk away.  
  
'What am I doing?' Bulma wondered to herself. "Keeping you incheck." she replied to Vegeta. "For all I know, you might slip away when I'm not looking, or are you going to see this through 'til the bitter end?"  
  
"I'm not a quitter." Vegeta muttered, annoyed that she didn't trust him. 'I haven't really given her reason to though.' he admitted with a small pang. "What exactly are we doing here anyway?"  
  
"We're going on them, Vegeta." Gohan said from in front of the couple, pointing. "Those monstrous steel cars that have the weak screaming humans on them." Vegeta said. It was not a question.  
  
Bulma gave Vegeta's arm a light squeeze. "Hey, in about an hour I'll be one of those weak screaming humans, and I'll love every second of it."  
  
Vegeta could feel Bulma getting excited, but not like he'd felt the entire time on Namek. That had been a sick excited, more adrenalin rush then anything. And then anticipation and a sick regret before he'd died at the hands of Frieza, known he would die, accepted it, no longer feeling the steel fist that had plunged over and over again into his back.  
  
But then, then Kakarott had come and he'd blurted it all out - said things that were true he'd never even thought before, much less articulated. He'd felt true regret and loss - the animalistic slaughter of his race had been relived in his mind. 'I was just a child. I believed him. I did everything, anything he asked me to, so that he would spare my race. Everything. I've been over it enough times to be certain. I was naive. I was weak. I swore I'd never believe anyone again. But I trust her. I trust Bulma. Am I crazy?'  
  
"Vegeta, is there something bothering you?" Bulma asked, jarring him from his memories. He'd seemed overwhelmingly sad to her for a moment. "Snap out of it. Today it's time to create new memories - happier ones." she added quietly so Gohan couldn't hear.  
  
Vegeta was a little taken aback. It was as if she'd known exactly what he'd been thinking of, and that wasn't the first time she'd seemed to channel his thoughts, though now that he'd thought about it, it had only occured when she was angry at him. 'I dismissed it as coincidence before, but what if -'  
  
"How many, miss? the bored teller asked.  
  
"Two adults. One child." Bulma replied, releasing Vegeta's arm to dig around for the zenii she'd brought. She was dismayed at the vague sense of displacement she felt once she let go of Vegeta's arm as she rummaged around in her trendy backpack. 'i hate to admit it, but I actually like the guy and I'm happier or madder when I'm around him. Oh, there's the zenii.'  
  
"That'll be 68.95 zenii . . . thank you for coming to White Water Park. Please enjoy your stay and here are your maps. Thank you and come again."  
  
Once they were through the gates, Gohan opened his map and he and Bulma argued about what direction to go until Bulma realized she was wrong and that she was argueing with an eight year old, so she gave in and let Gohan drag her to the line for the monorail.  
  
"This looks like it'll only be a ten minute wait." Gohan announced and pulled out his video gamd from his backpack, quickly losing hiself in it.  
  
"So we have to stand here for ten minutes just waiting to ride that?" Vegeta asked, pointing up to the monorail car above them.  
  
"It'll be shorter than that. The line moves quickly for this ride." Bulma said, leaning against the railing.  
  
"I don't know if I'll ever understand you humans."  
  
"At least we'll all have a nice tan by the time the day is through. Gohan certainly needs one." Bulma replied, glancing affectionately at him. "It's hard to believe he's only eight and he's already done so much more than the average eighty year old. He's a special kid."  
  
Just then the couple behind them's son ran in between Vegeta and Bulma, spraying a water gun at his little sister.  
  
"Johnny stop it! Come back here." his mother called. Johnny just laughed - until his glance happened to catch Vegeta's.  
  
Bulma gave Vegeta a warning look, but he didn't glance at her.  
  
"Listen to your mom, kid. You might find yourself messing with the wrong guy sometime soon."  
  
The kid, Johnny, squirted Vegeta directly i his face with the water gun.  
  
"Ahh. Why you little brat!" Vegeta spluttered. He grabbed the lid and lifted him up by the front of his shirt. "If I wasn't in such a good mood you'd be dead by now kid." whereupon little Johnny started wailing and his mother came and screamed that this man had assultled her son. So Vegeta, Bulma, and Gohan had to make a quick getaway and Bulma yelled at Vegeta until she lost her voice.  
  
Not.  
  
What really happened was the kid clammed up and was the model of perfection for two years. At which time he came out of his shock, screamed for two hours, was sedated at a hospital, and got the life sucked out of him by Cell. When he was wished back to life he couldn't remember a thing since the day before this day took place, which was bad since he had to repeat two grades. But this isn't his story and he has nothing to do with the Z fighters. Besides, we don't like him since he insulted the honor and dignity of Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans.  
  
"Wow, Vegeta, you didn't blow him up. " Gohan noticed, impressed.  
  
"Or course not. He's too weak to waste my ki on."  
  
"Sure." Bulma said, smiling and beaming at Vegeta. 'He really is changing . . . maybe.'  
  
'She doesn't have to smile at me like I'm an old dog she's teaching new tricks.' vegeta though and frowned. 'Where'd I pick up that little phrase? It was probably too much TV. I'm letting her spoil me. I should be in my new GT working out right about now . . . Still, she seems so happy that I'm here . . . ahh, I am getting soft like Kakarott. I'm even taking his offspring to a 'park' as the earthlings call it.'  
  
"Vegeta, you're not going to get soft if that's what you're worried about." Bulma said suddenly. "I doubt anyone will ever think of you as soft."  
  
Vegeta glanced at Gohan. 'Still playing with the video game. You're hopeless kid.' "How'd you know what I was thinking?" he asked Bulma quietly, brows furrowed.  
  
"What do you mean?" Bulma asked, confused. 'I've never seen him look at me this way. Something's changing . . . But what's wrong with that?'  
  
"Something is changing." Vegeta mused to himself, but Bulma still heard and it gave her a shock.  
  
'I was just thinking that! What's happening? Oh, the line's moving.' she walked a few feet foreward and leaned against the rail again. 'This is uncanny . . . Well I'm not going to dwell on it any longer. I'm going to have fun despite the crowds, and woe to those who try and stop me.'  
  
And she did. She let Gohan drag her around the park until three o'clock, when she could no longer avoid the fact that it was time to get something to eat because she'd heard Gohan's stomach growling loudly when she was sitting next to him on a rollercoaster and everyone around them was screaming at the top of their lungs. Vegeta had elected to sit this one out since the line looked to long. She'd tried to get him on it, but he'd said he wanted to look around for an adequate food joint.  
  
Much to the trios surprise, Vegeta had actually liked rollercoasters once he got over being strapped down before the ride actually started. He'd even relished getting drenched on the water rides because it was so hot.  
  
"Okay Gohan, lunch time." Bulma said once they'd gotten off the coaster. "Now where's Vegeta?"  
  
"Over there checking out that climbing contest." Gohan pointed. "I sensed his ki." "Thanks. Let's grab him and get some food. My treat okay?" she said as they made their way to Vegeta through the crowd. "But don't eat too much, or you'll puke on the next ride." 'I hope I have enough zenii for two saiyan appetites.' Bulma thought, turning slightly blue for a moment. 'I don't want to end up washing dishes or something to pay for it. I wish they had buffets here.'  
  
"Hi Vegeta. Are you ready to find a restaurant?" Gohan asked. "That last coaster was really cool."  
  
"Bulma, does the peron whoclimbs to the top and rings the bell get two hundred zenii as this sign seems to advertise?" Vegeta asked, ignoring Gohan.  
  
"Umm, yeah Vegeta . . . Hey, yeah, you should do it! Maybe then we'll have enough money to pay for lunch." Bulma half joked. She rummaged around in her backpack. "Here's the 20 zenii you need to be able to try it. Good luck."  
  
Vegeta took it, spoke to the man in charge of the contest, and was hooked up to the climbing gear.  
  
"Yeah Vegeta!" Gohan and Bulma cheered as the saiyan easily scaled the tower, feeling for the small hand and foot holds. Soon a small cheering section had formed.  
  
"Wow! I think he's actually gonna do it." One woman commented enthusiastically.  
  
"Nah, look how fast he's going." her boyfriend commented, putting his arm around her shoulder a little possessively. "He'll run out of energy."  
  
"Whatever." the woman said, eyes fixed on Vegeta. "I think you're wrong this time, honey."Bulma found herself smiling a little wistfully at the easy companionship of the bantering couple. 'I wish Vegeta and I were like that.' she was surprised to find herself thinking. 'Do I? . . . yes. I guess I do. But he never does anything but train. I had to practically blackmail him into coming here. I'm just setting myself up for a lot of heartache again. Besides, I only ditched Yamcha four days ago. Could so much have changed since then?'  
  
"I knew he would do it easy!" Gohan exclaimed as Vegeta grabbed the zenii and let himself fall back, the climbing gear holding him a few feet above the ground, then falling slowly back to earth.  
  
The crowd cheered as the host of the contest unbelted Vegeta. He looked a little green as he did it since he knew full well no one was supposed to actually win the 200 zenii. The manager would likely take it out of his next paycheck. 'Oh well. This guy looks tough, I'm not gonna try to take it away from him.' Instead, he shook Vegeta's hand amidst applause from the crowd.  
  
"Great job Vegeta." Bulma said. "Now we can afford lunch."  
  
"Yeah, nice job, Vegeta." Gohan's stomach growled loudly. He laughed.  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Can't you keep your stomach in check?"  
  
"Well it doesn't matter 'cause now you and I can treat Gohan to lunch. Lead the way, Vegeta." Bulma ordered, reining in the situation.  
  
'Lunch' turned out to be an attention getting scene. First Gohan ordered and Bulma helped him carry his food to one of the tables set up under the trees. Then Vegeta ordered while Bulma made trips back and forth from the counter to the table with his food. Then Bulma ordered a burger, fries, and a Coke. The cashier and Vegeta stared at her. The chefs turned blue and fell down.  
  
"Women." Vegeta said.  
  
"Is . . . is that all?"  
  
"Umm." Vegeta scrutinized the menu. "Add slices of apple pie."  
  
"Sure sir. That'll be on the house . . . and the total comes to . . . 212 zenii."  
  
"Half and half since I did ask Gohan to come?" Bulma asked.  
  
"Sure." Vegeta shrugged.  
  
Ten minutes later, Bulma watched Gohan and Vegeta eat while nibbling her fries, fascinated. She wasn't the only one. People would be walking by, happen to glance down at the two saiyans, and become rooted to the spot, fascinated. After a moment, they seemed to remember that staring was rude, so they would shake their heads as if to clear their mind, and walk on. Bulma noticed they often glanced back a couple times. 'It's not the actual eating that's so fascinating.' Bulma theorized. 'It's that they eat so fast and don't spill a crumb. They look like they're pigging out, but they have manners. Good ones . . . do they even taste the food?', she wondered.  
  
"Mmmmmmmm. That was good." Gohan sighed, sitting back and patting his stomach. "I wonder what's for dessert . . ." he hinted.  
  
Bulma just blinked at him and was grateful when Vegeta tossed Gohan four of the apple pies. She finished her fries while Gohan savored his pie and Vegeta tossed her one before he started on his four.  
  
Gohan finished first. "Let's do the bumper cars next. None of us will puke on them. I can't wait to bump everyone . . . I hope I don't get stuck this time.  
  
"Okay Gohan. Now Vegeta, you're supposed to bump people on this ride so don't get mad if someone does." Bulma warned.  
  
Vegeta shoved the last piece of apple pie in his mouth and nodded.  
  
Bulma smiled. "Good. 'Cause I intend to, that's for sure."  
  
"Are you gonna finish your pie, Bulma?" Gohan asked, noticing she'd only eaten half. Bulma slid it over to him.  
  
*********************  
  
"So you get in one of those little cars and drive around this ring slamming into one of the other litle cars? Sounds kind kind of stupid to me."  
  
"But it's fun Vegeta, you'll see. I can hardly wait to bump you." Bulma said as they watched the people inside the ring zooming around.  
  
"At least the line moves fast." Vegeta commented. Once he was on the ride, Vegeta found himself enjoying life yet again. Both Bulma and Gohan promptly rammed him from behind. 'Why that little brat.' Vegeta thought as Gohan rammed him, grinning before moving on to jam another kid against the wall. 'Traffic jam.' Vegeta swerved to avoid it but was bumped into the thick of it from behind. He turned to see Bulma smirking as she raced by. He was still stuck when she drove casually by again. This time she stuck out her tongue and yelled out "Gotcha Vegeta!" Finally, he gained control of his car and zoomed out of the traffic jam in hot pursuit of Bulma. Just as he angled over to bump her, the ride ended with a jolt.  
  
"Better luck next time." Bulma gloated. "Admit it Vegeta, I got you goooood. And it feels great!"  
  
Vegeta couldn't help a small smile, but he turned his face away so Bulma didn't see.  
  
"Admit it! Admit it! Hey Gohan, did you see how good I got Vegeta?" Bulma asked as they stepped out the exit.  
  
"Yeah. But I got stuck in a jam in the end. This kid I bumped into a wall came up behind me and knocked me sideways. What a mess." he said enthusiastically. "Can we go to the hall of mirrors next? They have hoses that squirt you. It's right over there."  
  
"Go for it, kid. But I think I'll sit this one out. The last time I went in one of those wasn't pretty. I'll be on this bench." Bulma said, sitting down.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Gohan ran off through the crowd, narrowly avoiding collisions with three strollers, five parents, and a trashcan. Vegeta sat down next to Bulma. Bulma found herself determined to make him talk, but not before she had a little fun first. "There's a two headed bird over there." she said, suddenly pointing past Vegeta, who was sitting to her left.  
  
Perhaps a minute of silence passed between them.  
  
"A real two headed bird?" Vegeta asked reluctantly.  
  
"Ha! Gotcha! Hehehe." Bulma gloated once again.  
  
'Darnn! I really should stop watching those nature documentaries.' Vegeta though, scowling. "Nice one." he said sarcastically.  
  
"I know it was a little low, " Bulma admitted, "but it was all in good fun. And I was convincing, wasn't I . . . Aren't you glad you took a day off from training for this?" she asked.  
  
Vegeta knew he was treading dangerous territory. If he said no, Bulma was likely to yell at him and cause a scene. He didn't really mind when she yelled, but he wasn't in the mood to be embarassed just now. Besides, she'd probably yell and scold all the way back and then blow up his new GT or something. And wasn't there a part of him that wanted to make her happy, keep her happy? Wasn't there? And it wasn't just because he was tuned to her emotions, emotions which flickered and changed so fast it was overwhelming. It was because making her happy made him happy. Being near her made him happy. It wasn't because she was gorgeous. It wasn't because her family was rich. In fact, it wasn't because of anything. It just was. And he sensed that she felt the same way. After all, why had she brought him here? To make him happy, to keep him from harming himself by going back to training too early.   
  
And because she felt this way, he could simply reach out and take her, never admit that he felt this way. But in the end she wouldn't be happy and he would hate himself even more. And he knew she wanted to be wooed and won. She wanted 'romance' as these human females were so fond of calling it. And he couldn't help but give her what she wanted, wasn't that also true? After all, he'd come here. He'd been civilised the way she'd wanted him to be. He did like the rides, ha had to admit that, the speed, the small risk of danger. But he loved to hear her screaming in delight - to see her wet and dripping - to smell her smell, so sweet and light - to feel her next to him on the ride, or clinging to his arm. And he wanted, oh did he want, to taste her. To taste her lips on his. But this was hardly the place and not the time. And she was waiting for his answer, a smile on her exceptional face. It was a pretty face, but that didn't really matter. It was her face, Bulma's face.  
  
"Yes." Vegeta answered.  
  
Bulma's surprise soon turned into a smile. "I didn't think I'd get it out of you so easily." she admitted.  
  
'And touch, he needed to touch her again.' As if she'd read his mind, she took his hand and gazed into his eyes, searching. 'She knows. She knows.' Vegeta thought as he held her hand and looked back at her.  
  
"You know, I wondered if I'd get over Yamcha. I was surprised at how soon it happened. I just want you to know that." Bulma said. "And I'm not sorry I black-mailed you into coming here either."  
  
"Maybe we could talk later then." Vegeta was surprised that his tone was almost shy. It certainly contained none of the scorn or demand his voice usually did.  
  
"Okay." Bulma said. They sat quietly, contented until Gohan came running back. They stood, each letting go of the others hand in an unspoken agreement as Gohan oncce again avoided collisions with an unrealized grace. "Bathroom break." Bulma announced. "I'll be right back guys." she strode purposely to the women's restroom and entered.  
  
"Vegeta?" Gohan asked. He was sopping wet from being sprayed from all angles in the hall of mirrors, but looked happy. "I noticed you were kind of green in the car," he started in a rush, "and I knew it was probably because of the music. I only brought it 'cause my dad said it would make Bulma happy so she wouldn't yell at me. And I'm happy it worked, but I saw an arcade store over there, so if you've got enough zenii left it might be a good idea to buy a video game. They're fun, but they're addictive so you can tune out the music."  
  
Vegeta looked down at Gohan. 'I guess this kid isn't as dumb as his father after all.' "Sure kid. Let's go. Bulma won't be out of there for a good fifteen minutes anyway." he smirked.  
  
Gohan looked relieved. 


	6. Intermission

Can't Resist - Chapter - 6 - Intermission  
  
Disclaimer-Yeah. I've been forgetting to put one of these on here. I don't own DBZ.   
  
"Well that was fun, but I'm glad to be going home just the same. My feet are killing me." Bulma admitted as they got off the tram at stop number 3 and started walking toward the car.  
  
Gohan looked wistfully back at the park. "I wanted to go on the Flume just one more time."  
  
Vegeta was walking with one hand in his pocket, the other holding the plastic bag that contained his two purchases. "You went on it five times. I'm surprised you're dry," he commented.  
  
They reached the car and Bulma unlocked the doors. They climbed in. "Well at least I get to listen to my music on the ride home," she said, brightening. She buckled her seatbelt and adjusted her mirrors, missing the involuntary look Gohan and Vegeta exchanged. Which was just as well. She probably wouldn't have appreciated the look of resigned suffering they exchanged.  
  
"If you don't mind, Vegeta 'n I'll just play video games, Bulma." Gohan said from the backseat where he'd curled up in the seat behind Bulma.  
  
"Sure Gohan." Bulma said distractedly, humming along to another popular tune. "I want to get to your house before nightfall since I'm not familiar with the way."  
  
Vegeta was surprised to find that video games turned out to be just as the kid had said. They were addicting. Time seemed to go much faster and one's surroundings faded away. Once he got the hang of the game, it was hard to stop and before he knew it, they'd arrived at the kid's house, just at dark.  
  
"Thanks Bulma! You got me home just in time for dinner too!" Gohan said, getting out of the car.  
  
"Sure Gohan. It was fun. Say hi to your parents for me and tell your mom I'll call her tomorrow." Bulma called as Gohan shut his door. She waited for him to enter the house and flew up and back toward home.  
  
Vegeta forced himself to put the video game away. He turned off the music before he started feeling sick. Gohan had said Bulma could keep it. "You said we'd talk." Vegeta said before Bulma could get angry and protest.  
  
She took her eyes off her driving long enough to nod.  
  
"Then pull down on top of that hill."  
  
Once the car was on the ground Vegeta got out, pulling his last purchase from the bag and shut the door. Bulma got out too and pressed the 'Capsize' button on the car so that it turned once again into a capsule, which she put in the pocket of her jeans.  
  
"It's getting cold. I'd forgotten it was only spring still." Bulma remarked. Vegeta handed her the pale blue souvenir sweatshirt he'd bought her. "Thanks." Bulma said, wriggling into it. She was outwardly calm but inside her mind was racing. 'Did he buy this for me or am I jumping to conclusions? He certainly is looking good, but I'm getting a little scared fo what he's going to say. I mean unlike most guys, Vegeta doesn't play. Am I ready for that?' She thought of Chi Chi, one of her best friends through the long years. Most of her other friends had slowly faded out of her life. 'Chi Chi is two or three years younger than me and she's been married for almost a decade . . . But Chi Chi isn't me. Let's face it, I need someone who can handle my temper . . . Vegeta can. -But he tried to blow up Earth! He almost killed me! -But he's changed, and I've changed, and I think I'm finally growing up. And I want to grow up, but then again I don't. And tonight he'll tell me something - and I'll be different. And I want Vegeta to want to be with me. And I have a feeling he does want to. And I want to be with him. And I am right now, so I'd better suck it up.' "I bought it for you." Vegeta said, folding his arms. With that simple sentence any and all of Bulma's doubts concerning Vegeta's feelings toward her faded. 'He loves me? He loves me. I just know he does.'  
  
Vegeta was a little overwhelmed at the radiance Bulma broadcasted once he'd admitted he'd bought the sweatshirt for her. After all, it was just a piece of clothing. Still, he had to admit he didn't mind benefitting from the good feeling coming off of her. It felt nice to know she appreciated his actions - and it was a good omen.  
  
"Let's sit." Bulma suggested, plopping down on the grass. Vegeta followed suit. 'He looks dignified even when he's sitting in the grass in the dark.' Bulma thought, finding herself admiring the lines of his body in the starlight. 'Vegeta. What are you thinking? . . . . I don't know much about you besides what Krillin said . . .'  
  
"Can we see the star of your planet from here?" Bulma asked, looking up at the sky.  
  
"No. It's too far away." Vegeta sighed. "And Vegeta-sei is gone anyway. There's nothing but rubble. I went once, after we all came back from Namek and I left again."  
  
A few moments of silence passed. "Will you stay here on Earth?" Bulma asked.  
  
"I suppose so." Vegeta said after a moment. "At least until the androids are destroyed and I surpass Kakarott."  
  
"You were five when Frieza took you, right?" Bulma asked. Although she couldn't see his face, she could sense him tense. She hurried on. "Well I was wondering how much of Vegeta-sei you got to see. I mean, I'm sure your parents traveled a lot. How much do you remember?" she finished a bit awkwardly.  
  
For the next hour of two, Bulma coaxed information and opinions out of Vegeta. She reasoned that before you got too involved with a person, you should get to know them first. She didn't want to make the same mistake she'd made with Yamcha. Bulma knew if they came back too late her parents were likely to call out the calvary on them. So when it got too cold and Bulma knew they should've been home, she suggested they head back to Capsule Corp.  
  
"All right." Vegeta agreed, standing.  
  
As she too stood, Bulma found herself worrying. 'What if he acts just like he did before today? I couldn't stand it. Oh, Vegeta is too frustrating!'  
  
Vegeta found that he'd enjoyed the time he'd spent talking to Bulma. It was nice to have someone care what you said. He'd talked to no one about Vegeta-sei since . . . Nappa. 'Maybe I shouldn't have killed him. Still he was too dumb to adjust to Earth . . . But maybe he could've. After all, he's no dumber than Kakarott. Uh oh. The woman is getting frustrated. I don't think I did anything to upset her. Whew! She's cooling down again.'  
  
Much to Bulma's surprise, she stepped over to Vegeta, slid her arms around his neck, and hugged him. "Thanks for today," she whispered.  
  
Vegeta abruptly came out of his shock and gingerly let his arms encircle her waist. It felt nice to hold her, he realized. He hadn't held anyone in such a long time, not since his mother. 'If this is getting soft I guess it's not too bad. . . '  
  
Bulma giggled. "You're not getting soft Vegeta. Is that what you're thinking about? Fly us home?"  
  
"If you want to." Vegeta heard himself say, looking down at her.  
  
"Of course I do. I said it, silly." Bulma said. "I'm not that heavy I don't think," she tightened her hold around Vegeta and tensed as she felt them ascend into the air.  
  
"Relax. I'm not gonna drop you." Vegeta said in an irritated voice, but they both knew he didn't mind her sudden fear.  
  
Bulma did relax and let her head lay against Vegeta's arm. She could feel his chest rising slowly up and down. It was a relaxing rhythm that lulled her senses.  
  
It was a thrill to be holding her, Vegeta realized with some dismay. He didn't really want to be under this human woman's power. Because he knew, even if Kakarott didn't, that love was power. If you loved someone then they had power over you. They could control you if they chose to. And he wasn't really sure she loved him back anyway. Yes, he decided, it's better if I don't let her know I love her, there's no telling what conclusions she might draw. . . . Sensing Bulma's breathing slow and become regular, he knew she was asleep. This in itself was strange to him since she didn't usually sleep until midnight or so, but glancing at the watch on Bulma's wrist, he noticed it was eleven o'clock. Vegeta sped up to cover the distance to Capsule Corp. quicker.  
  
**************  
  
'Am I dead?' Vegeta wondered. There was no sound in this place and all was black. Yet through the blackness he received the impression of depth. As if he could go on running forever and never reach the end. But this wasn't death anyway. Death was at least colors and sound and judgement . . . But wait, there was a light . . . there! Just a pinpoint really, but a goal to be reached all the same. He powered up his ki and flew top speed toward it. He flew for hours, then days, never resting. Yet time was slippery, it seemed as if a day lasted an instant and an hour brought him a lightyear closer to his goal. Finally though, he could make out something deeper within the light. It was a figure. A figure surrounded by light. It had looked white from far away, but now he could see that it was really rainbows of color that surrounded the figure. And it was a woman's figure. He could almost make out what she was wearing and then -  
  
Vegeta woke up and slammed the off button on his alarm. 6am. Hungry. Darn his luck. He'd almost seen her this time.  
  
He rolled sleepily out of bed and managed to land on his feet for once. He hated to admit it, but the times when he first rose from sleep were his most vulnerable. Yesterday he'd landed on his side and gotten stuck in the covers for a few minutes. They'd rolled off the bed with him. This morning he amused himself by wondering what he'd snag for breakfast as he did his morning stretches. Since the cooking lady didn't come in until seven, official breakfast wouldn't be ready until 7:30 or so. But he knew enough to whip up some grits, a gallon or so should do. Then cereal. He especially liked the ones with little prizes. Six or seven boxes should do. Then, to finish it off, a loaf or two of toast with plenty of jam. By then it would be seven o'clock and he could take his morning run in the forest outside of the city and be back to eat just a leeetle later than 7:30.   
  
Then . . . to the GT finally! 'I can go without lunch today.' Vegeta decided as he finished his stretches and absentmindedly headed toward the kitchen, still dressed in his nightclothes (a white T-shirt and boxers). He grabbed a robe and slung it on as he exited his bedroom. It was blue - his favorite color.  
  
Vegeta was surprised to see the younger human female sitting at the kitchen table drinking a thermos of coffee. She too was still in her nightclothes, but had thrown on a robe over her shorts and nightshirt. She looked tired. Vegeta wondered why she'd bothered to wake up so early. 'I don't usually see her until around noon.' he reflected. "Good morning, Vegeta," she yawned as he walked past her and rummaged around in the refrigerator.  
  
"Hrmph," he mumbled. 'Now where'd that skim milk get to?' He tried to keep this little pre-breakfast snack light so he didn't get sick to his stomach while he was on his run. Puking would not be fun. "Is it about the GT?" he asked, finding the full gallon of skim milk and plopping it down on the table, closest to the fridge. Then he went after the cereal next to the fridge.  
  
"Is what about the GT?" she yawned, "Oh, being awake so early? . . . Well kinda. I did mean to tell you not to blow this one up too," she sounded a bit irate. "I didn't know how early you got up though, so I decided to wake up at six. Were you doing stretches or something?" The irritation faded a little.  
  
Vegeta dropped two boxes of cereal on the table, grabbed a serving bowl from the cupboard, and hunted around for a soup ladle. "Yes." Finding the ladle, he slid into the chair across from Bulma and started eating his cereal.  
  
"If you want, I'll bring your lunch to the GT. I know you'll want to spend the day trying out the GT. Okay, with you?"  
  
Vegeta sat in silence, wolfing down his food long enough to nod.  
  
They sat in silence until Vegeta finished his cereal. (It took three gallons of skim milk and six boxes of cereal. Three prizes, which Vegeta left on the table.)  
  
"I enjoyed spending time with you, Vegeta." Bulma offered as Vegeta stood to go to his room and change into his workout clothes.  
  
"Listen woman, just because we spent one miserable day together, we're not all buddy-buddy." Vegeta said. He had to hurt her so she would forget about being friendly to him and go find another dumb human to hang out with.  
  
Bulma's temper suddenly flared. "WELL IT SURE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN JUST TURN YOUR BACK ON ME AND WALK AWAY! DON'T YOU TRY TO PUSH ME AWAY, VEGETA! NOW GET BACK HERE AND SIT DOWN." she ordered, all sleep gone from her eyes now, standing from the table.  
  
Since Bulma honestly did scare him when she was angry, Vegeta turned around in the doorway, but his pride did not allow him to sit back down as she'd ordered. Besides, no one ordered the Prince of Saiyans around and lived anyway . . . well he couldn't bring himself close to killing her, so maybe this one person could. But not without a fight.  
  
"Fine. Close enough." Bulma said flatly, accepting his defiance. "I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm not asking you to say you love me and carry me off on a white horse. In fact, all I remember asking for was a civil conversation, respect. And you will NOT stay in this house if you don't show a little respect for my parents at least. My mother adores you, but you have bullied my father and done nothing but exercise your will on him. I don't know why he likes you! You may have been a prince on Vegeta-sei, but that part of your life is over now."  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed in anger. Bulma flared right back. "I'm not saying forget your past, I'm saying there are no princes here, so don't act like one. I always knew they were stuck up and snobby, but YOU ARE RIDICULOUS. Now shape up or I'll have some employees take the GT, drop it in the wilderness, and you can go live THERE! Now it is too early in the morning for me to be yelling at you, but it's worth it, because FOR ONCE YOU'RE LISTENING!" Bulma finally stopped, breathing slightly faster.  
  
"Fine. I'll try not to intimidate your father any more." Vegeta agreed grudgingly.  
  
"Good." Bulma walked toward him. He was surprised when she hugged him. "That's all I was really asking. I'm the only one allowed to yell at my father." she released him and headed back up to her room to sleep until noon. 


	7. Other Guys?

Can't Resist - Chapter - 7 - Other Guys?  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own DBZ.  
  
  
  
Four weeks rolled smoothly by. Vegeta stuck to his routine with little variation. He spent most of his time in the GT. The cooking woman brought him lunch. He had the uneasy feeling she liked him a little too much, but he always shook it off, ate, and went back to the GT. The human fixit woman stayed out of his way. He had to give her credit though, the GT was marvelous. Bulma had advanced it so much that it now was capible of going up to 500 times normal gravity. For now, he was only at 350. Not enough to beat Kakarott and those androids. He shook Bulma out of his mind and reapplied himself to his training.   
  
Bulma had been pleased at the way these past four weeks had rolled by. She'd done nothing but lounge around in the sun, go shopping, talk on the visual phone with Chi Chi and her cousin Neliyah, and work in the lab. She and her father had a project going to remodel and upgrade the space ships he'd designed. Yamcha hadn't dropped in and she hadn't called him. But there was the summer reunion her mother had planned for her and her friends coming up. All the Z-fighters were supposedly coming, though Chaotzu, Puar, and Chi Chi had to do all they could to drag their respective warriors away from their training. Come to think of it, she hadn't told Vegeta yet, but she supposed her mother had. Her parents actually rose at 7:30am for breakfast at 8am, when Vegeta was always finishing. She supposed they talked. 'Kami, it wasn't easy to stay away from him for so long. But I have my pride too. He'll have to make the next move. I refuse to beg.' Her temper suddenly flared. 'Sooner or later . . . I guess it'll have to be later then.' She went back to fiddling with her latest experiment. It showed a lot of promise. Maybe a few more millions for capsule corp and a start to her own personal fortune . . .  
  
***************  
  
"Oh Vegeta, I don't think I've told you the good news yet, have I?" Mrs. Brief said the next morning at breakfast. "Well I've been planning a little reunion for Bulma to cheer her up now that she doesn't have a boyfriend. It's going to be outside in the garden and we'll have a pavilion set up. It'll be so fun, don't you think so? And of course you're invited, hon. I put the formal invitation on your bed before I came to breakfast. All the Z fighters and their friends and families are coming. And myself and my husband's relatives of course. Bulma gets along well with her cousins. You can show off the GT to your friends like Goku and Tien, won't that be fun? Oh, I guess you want to know when it is then, huh? In two weeks. Don't worry, we'll have plenty of food. I've taken saiyan appetites in to account. And that Goku eats even more than you - and so sloppily. I must make a note to order more of those cloth napkins. And we'll have a huge blow up slide for all you kids and all of Bulma's little cousins. Oh that Gohan is so adorable! I know he'll love it and he can make some friends with my nieces and nephews. That Chi Chi should send him to public school instead of tutoring him. We all know he can take care of himself. Why, he'll be too smart by the time she'd done with him! I'm afraid my daughter was never like that. School was too easy for her. It bored her and I'm afraid she was prone to simply walking out. On well. Her school days are over. So what do you think of this reunion, Vegeta? On I can tell by your expression that you love the idea. Well I guess you're off to train in the GT now. Like I said, the invitation is on your bed, you can look at it for all the details. Have a wonderful training session, Vegeta honey!" Mrs. Brief called after him as he left the kitchen.  
  
Vegeta was surprised to run into the long-winded one's daughter in the hallway. He hadn't talked to her since the day after Gohan had introduced him to video games. He'd found an hour of them just before bed was relaxing, plus he seemed to moving his fingers quicker since he'd started playing. But they were dangerous, they lulled him into a state of half concentration, half sleep.  
  
"Oh hi Vegeta! I haven't talked to you in a while." she said. "Well I'm off the library to do some major research. I think I'm close to a breakthrough!" she practically sang the last sentence. "See ya!" she walked towards the front hall. He heard the door slam.  
  
Vegeta stared after her, puzzled. He knew what a library was, but he wasn't much of a reader. Who voluntarily went there anyway? Her happiness was refreshing though, and the thought came back that maybe she did love him after all and wouldn't use him. He shook his head and went on into his room.  
  
Ah, here was the invitation. Did Kakarott have to come? Oh well. It was obvious that he was obligated to attend out of respect for his hosts. They had never asked him anything in return for what they'd given him. Besides, Kakarott didn't have a GT, so maybe he would steer him towards it so he could gloat a little, maybe even turn it on and see how high Kakarott could take. And the idea of food was appealing . . . It would be memorable, he decided.  
  
**************  
  
"Can I help you ma'am?" the librarian asked.  
  
"Yes, thank-you." Bulma said. "Could you help me get all the books on surface waves, transducers, and impedance matching?" she asked.  
  
The librarian just blinked for a moment, then turned to his computer. "Just pick a seed at the table and I'll be right with you."  
  
"Thank you. Oh, and look up ultrasonic and subsonic vibrations too please." Bulma went to the fiction section, snagged a romantic novel, and then sat down at a free table.  
  
An hour later, she was deep in to the technical world of microns and impedance matching when a young man plopped down in the seat next to her at her circular table. "Good. You're still here." he said.  
  
"Excuse me, still here?" Bulma asked, noticing he was kind of cute.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." he stuck out his hand. "My name is Tristan Sushynah." Bulma shook his hand. "About an hour ago I guess, me and my brother over there - ", he pointed towards a guy browsing the fiction section who waved and went back to his book, "My brother and I were just cruisin' and we saw you walking in here . . . Well I finally got the guts to come and talk to you, so I'm glad you're still here. And well, here I am."  
  
Bulma laughed. An old man at the next table glared at her. She shut up. "So you saw me for two seconds and now you want to talk to me? Well I've got a boyfriend, sorry though. What'd you say your name was?"  
  
"Tristan Sushynah. Could we just talk then?" he asked, not looking discouraged in the least.  
  
"You don't look too disapointed. But I'm doing a little research now, sorry."  
  
"No. I'll help. What is it?" he asked, picking up a book. "Surface Waves Impacting Our Daily Lives? I didn't take you for a genius."  
  
"Well I am. I'm doing research for my latest project. Pass me the book on subsonic vibrations, please." Bulma said matter of factly. She loved stunning 'em. "If you're looking for a dumb girl who looks kinda like me, I know a few." she made a small note in her notebook.  
  
"No. It would be nice to hold an intelligent conversation with someone, namely you, who's smart as well as pretty." Tristan said. "But I'll wait until you finish your studies." He got up and walked in the direction of his brother.  
  
*************  
  
A few hours later, Bulma left the library with an even greater sense of excitement. Her research had given her a few great hypotheses concerning her project. She was impatient to get to her lab. In the parking lot, she popped her motorcycle capsule and climbed on. Just as she started it, she heard a voice calling.  
  
"Wait!" It was that Tristan Sushynah, running towards her.  
  
'Ah what the hey,' Bulma figured. 'He seems okay. Maybe he's the guy to get Vegeta off my mind.' She waited for him to reach her.  
  
"I didn't catch your name." he said once he'd reached her.  
  
"Bulma Brief."  
  
"Oh. It sounds familiar . . . Listen, maybe we could catch a movie sometime Miss Brief."  
  
"Or better yet, come over to my place next week." She scribbled down her address and phone number on a scrap of paper she found in her pocket. As she handed it to him, she added. "Call me tonight around seven. Oh, and don't get the idea I'm being fresh. I'm having a picnic next week and my friends are invited so we may as well get to know eachother then."  
  
"Okay." Tristan agreed, a little amazed at how easily he'd gotten the information.  
  
"And you can call me Bulma. I've gotta get back to my lab now. See ya Tristan!" she called, zooming off on her motorcycle.  
  
Tristan sighed. 'Well atleast she remembers my name.' he thought. 'And boy is she pretty! Man, Urako's gonna fall over when I tell him this . . . and he said I couldn't get a pretty girl.'  
  
************  
  
Bulma quit working at six that day. She felt an irrational urge to bother Vegeta before dinner and knew he quit training at six for dinner. 'I haven't talked to him for about a month now, well not counting this morning. Not that I haven't thought about him though.' she thought as she turned off the lights to the lab and walked down the hallway. 'I know he atleast likes me. Maybe I can get him to take me somewhere before dinner. I'd like to hear his stomach growl just once though.' She giggled. 'And it's such a beautiful day.' she sighed as she passed a window. 'He and I need a little sun lately. I've been working on my project and he's always in the GT. He does go on morning jogs though . . .'  
  
Bulma walked down the stairs and out the backdoor. She walked down the narrow stone path leading to the GT which she could see rising above the trees. They'd put it more away from the house this time, since her mother hadn't been to happy about the destruction of her beloved flowers. They were growing back fine now that it was early summer though. Bulma layed down on the grass and stared up at the clouds floating past in the blue sky. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sun on her body. After a few minutes, she heard the GT's door shut and light footsteps coming up from the path.  
  
Bulma imagined Vegeta walking up the path, with his quirky hair that defied gravity. She smiled at that thought. She wondered what the expression on his face was as she heard the footsteps slow and stop in front of her. To her surprise, she heard him sit down next to her in the grass.  
  
"How'd it go today?" she asked, still with her eyes closed.  
  
Vegeta didn't know what had made him sit down next to her. She looked so peaceful and content lying there in the sun with her eyes closed. And his training had been going exceptionally well. He was reluctant to admit it, but perhaps that vacation had done him some good. Now he found himself pleased that Bulma had asked about his training.  
  
"I broke 400." he said with no pride in his voice. He was only stating a fact. Vegeta picked up a blade of grass and began methodically to shred it into tiny pieces. "Find what you wanted in the library?"  
  
"That and more." Bulma replied, that content smile on her face. She patted the grass to her left. "Lay down so I can tell you." When she heard him lay down, she opened her eyes and stared up at the sky. "Well my project is about vibrating the microns of a thin layer of glass. It has tons of practical application. But just to rule some things out, I researched ultrasonics and . . ."  
  
It was pleasant watching the clouds float by and listening to Bulma's voice. She was going on and on about 'impedance matching' and he had no clue what that was, but it didn't really matter. He had the feeling she didn't expect him to, and she didn't mind the fact that he didn't. Let's just face it, she liked to talk, to hear the sound of her voice. He usually couldn't stand that quality in anyone, but he thought it was amusing in this particular case. She didn't need to talk to make herself noticed, by him atleast. 'She does want me to notice her.' he realized. 'I don't really mind about that, but what happens once I let her know I'm noticing her? Is she gonna try and take over my life? That's not going to happen. . . . But I have to admit, it would be a real battle. . .' He let the sun wash over him and turned his head to the right so he could see Bulma.  
  
" . . . so I've got a few new ideas, but first I have to rule out subsonics for sure. I think it might have an eddect on animals though, especially dogs. That would be awful if I patented that theory. I'd be sued like mad. Still, I'm, gonna test it out tomorrow. And that was my day." Bulma finally finished. It nagged her a little bit that she'd omitted the meeting with Tristan Sushynah. 'But that doesn't mean anything. Besides, Vegeta doesn't want or need to know about that . . . He does care about me though. It'll be bad if I bring Tristan to the reunion. He won't fit in anyway. I'll end it with him when he calls tonight. . . But he was so cute! . . . But in an immature way, like the boys in high school. And it's not like Vegeta is ugly or anything. The kids will be cute. WHOA!' her rational side broke in. 'Didn't I just say to him that I wasn't asking him to get married! - or make any kind of commitment for that matter! . . . But I said I wouldn't ask him, not that I didn't want that. . . Oh shut up thoughts. Just shut up. I am not going crazy when I'm still young and beautiful and a genius. I'm gonna go with the flow for now.' She sighed when there was finally golden silence in her mind and rolled over on her side, facing Vegeta who was looking directly at her, to her surprise.  
  
"Are you happy with how your training has been going?" she asked him. They were only about a foot away.  
  
Vegeta turned his head to look up at the sky again, but he could still see her from the corner of his eye. "Yes." he said after a moment. "I have to admit, my progress has escalated since you made me take that vacation."  
  
Bulma laughed. "See, I knew what I was doing. I'm glad it's been working our for you . . . Are you coming to the reunion?" she asked.  
  
"I figured I should respect your parents' wishes, so yes." he replied.  
  
"I'm glad." Bulma said, concrete in her belief that she meant it. Summoning her courage, she brought her right hand over Vegeta so she was leaning over him, closed her eyes, and kissed him.  
  
Vegeta was surprised that Bulma had taken the initiative and kissed him, but it was a wonderful sensation all the same. He allowed himself to reach up and encirle her waist with his arms, pulling her down closer to him. It was fulfilling to finally taste her, as he'd thought of that day at the water park and so many days since. She was like raspberries and she felt very smooth and soft. She was wearing blue jean shorts and of those shirts for women that cut off just above their stomach. She was the most exciting creature he'd ever met and he found he didn't want her to die at the hands of the androids. And surprisingly, in all the time he'd been here, he'd never once felt like blowing her up. Now that was the real miracle. He seemed to forget how much he loved her until he was near her again.  
  
Bulma found herself wildly joyful that Vegeta was reciprocating her feelings. She'd half feared that he would reject her and she didn't know how she would've handled that. She felt certain he loved her, but she wasn't so certain that Vegeta knew he loved her. And kissing Vegeta was great, better than what she'd dreamed of, just about the best thing that had happened to her lately. The importance wasn't in that order of course. Anyway, it felt so nice to be geld by this man. It was exstasy to feel his hands on her body, taste the warmth of his kisses.  
  
"When did you know?" Vegeta suddenly asked.  
  
Bulma didn't even have to think. "When you gave me that sweatshirt." She let her lips brush his. "I knew I liked you a couple hours before that. I watched you climbing up to get that 200 zenii and I watched another couple and I knew I wanted what they had . . . I wanted us to have what they had. I still do." Bulma smiled down at him. "You're not like anyone I've ever met before." She rolled back over onto her back and once again stared up at the sky.  
  
"I've got to get a shower before dinner. I'm heading in." Vegeta said abruptly, sitting up and climbing to his feet.  
  
"Help me up." Bulma said, reaching her hands up. "I'll come with you."  
  
As Vegeta looked down at her, he realized . . . she trusted him. He took both her hands in his and pulled her up. 'This is too fast, too fsat.' he thought. 'I need to think about this first. I am a saiyan prince, she's only a weak human female. . . . But I must have this one, this female, even though she can't cook. Still, I need to think long and hard about this. Kami, why couldn't this have happened after the darn reunion?' Already though, he was glad this had happened. Still, he could've lived in oblivion for another week or so.  
  
Meanwhile, she was asking when dinner was, since she usually had food sent to her room or the lab.  
  
"You don't know what time dinner is in your own house?" Vegeta asked incredulously.  
  
"No." Bulma laughed. "My family and I aren't really big eaters, so we didn't have a cook until after I came back from Namek-sei with all those people. My mom hired Vera before she knew Nameks only drink water, but she was glad she did because of your appetite. Before that, we each just cooked ourselves dinner." she explained.  
  
"What about breakfast and lunch?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"Cereal and a piece of fruit for breakfast. A sandwhich for lunch." Bulma replied promptly.  
  
"Humans certainly don't eat enough. No wonder you're all weak." Vegeta scoffed.  
  
" Usually you don't have to be strong on Earth. It's more brains that count, as long as you're physically fit. If I ate as much as you, which is just not possible by the way, I'd turn into a blimp in a couple weeks." she laughed.  
  
They reached the door. Bulma opened it and went in, followed by Vegeta. She turned to face him. "Don't worry, I'm not coming to dinner. I enjoy my solitude way too much. I'll just see you around." Bulma found herself saying. She guessed Vegeta might need sometime to adjust to what had just happened. 'Boy I sure do. And oh crap, Tristan's gonna call me in a half an hour. I led him on. Ugh. I hate to hurt his feelings, but what else can I do?' She grew preoccupied. "Well see you later." she told Vegeta, hurrying off to her room.  
  
Vegeta looked after her, puzzled. 'Being near her is more trying on my brain than even Kakarott's lack of intelligence.' After a moment, he turned and went to take his shower. 


	8. Cousin

Can't Resist - Chapter 8 - Cousin  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own DBZ.  
  
BRiiiing! . . . BRiiiing! . . . BRiiii-  
  
"Ahh!" Bulma glanced at her watch. "6:30. It can't be Tristan on the holophone already! I told him to call at seven! Ugh. Men." She plopped down on her bed and pushed the 'on' button on her holophone.  
  
It was her older cousin, Neliyah. "Hey Bulma! I just got the invitation to the reunion. I wanted to RSVP as soon as I could. How's it going girl? I haven't talked to you in ages!"  
  
"Whew Nel, I thought you were this guy. You gave me quite a shock." Bulma said by way of a greeting.  
  
"Oh girl, you're always got some guy or another tagging after you. It's the natural beauty that runs in the family. You got it from me." Neliyah said, tossing her thick green hair at Bulma and trying her best to look coquettish.  
  
Bulma laughed. "Yeah, that's it all right." she said sarcastically.  
  
"Seriously Bulma, it's not Yamcha, is it? He's cute, but you know I never liked him. But I suppose it is. Really Bulma, I just don't see the attraction. There are cuter guys -"  
  
"It's not him." Bulma broke in.  
  
"What? . . . I say, I say, did you say that right? Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just say 'It's not him'?"  
  
"Yes." Bulma laughed.  
  
"Well are you done with him for good this time? Not just mad at him?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well praise Kami! Let me hear the angels sing HAH-LE-LU-JAH! Come on! Do you feel me?! Give me a Ha-Le-Lu-Jah!" Neliyah shouted, dancing around the room. She came back, sat down, and peered at the holophone. "Girl, you are looking good without that man. Your eyes, they are shining! Your hair, it is not in that awful curly style anymore! your teeth, they are whiter-"  
  
"What!" Bulma broke in. "Hey, I thought you liked my hair curly!"  
  
"Nah." Neliyah shook her head. "I just said that to make you feel better. Some guy had just tried to put the moves on you on the first date and you were about to go back to Yamcha, if you remember."  
  
"Oh yeah. Well you just got me down so make me feel better again." Bulma said, pouting for her cousin.  
  
"Ok. Ummm . . . Who's the guy?" When Bulma was silent, she prodded. "Come on. I know there is one. Is it the guy on the phone?" she gazed at Bulma's face intently. "No? Who could it be then? Oh, I know. What about that guy (mmhmm, this is the one) the guy living in your house 'cause he's training or something. Mmmhmm! It is him! What was his name? Sec."   
  
Bulma saw her swing over to her computer on the holophone screen. Her cousin was a genius in her own way. She could hack into anything.  
  
"Got an image! And is there a record of his name anywhere in here? . . ." she clicked away on her keyboard. "Uh huh! Vegeta is his first name and let me get a close up shot . . . Oh girl, I like his hair, and he does emit a certain presence. And look at all those muscles! Lucky you!" she rolled her chair back over to the holophone, sat back, and started filing her nails. "Well . . . Am I right?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah." Bulma admitted.  
  
"I knew it! And you told that other guy to call you before something happened between you and muscle-man. What a soap opera . . ."  
  
"MY LIFE IS NOT A SOAP OPERA!" Bulma yelled.  
  
"Uh huh. So what are you going to tell the guy?" Neliyah asked, not caring in the least that Bulma had yelled at her.  
  
Bulma curled up on her bed, facing the holophone and sighed. "I don't know Nel. Maybe . . . maybe I could just give him your phone number. I did tell him I had a boyfriend."  
  
Neliyah shook her head violently. "No way. He fell for you, not me, kiddo."  
  
"Don't call me kiddo. And yes! You're just as pretty as me. You've won beauty contests!" Bulma said, sitting up again.  
  
"That's only 'cause I needed money. Don't ever bring them up again." Neliyah ordered, shaking her head. "Not this time, kiddo."  
  
"Please?"  
  
Neliyah shook her head no. "I'm begging you, Nel!" Bulma pleaded, dropping down on her knees and folding her hands in supplication.  
  
"Nope." she closed her eyes and turned her face away.  
  
"At least access a picture of him! For me, Neliyah. I need you!" Bulma begged.  
  
"Well . . ."  
  
"PLEASE??? Pretty please with sugar on top?"  
  
"And a cherry?" Neliyah asked, her resolve weakening.  
  
"YES! YES!" Bulma exclaimed.  
  
"Well . . ."  
  
"Well!?!"   
  
"Do you love this Vegeta guy? 'Cause I don't hire myself out if it's not for a good reason - VERY good." Neliyah asked, opening her green eyes and staring at Bulma.  
  
"Yes." Bulma said, climbing back up onto her bed. "Yes. I do. I actually do." she tasted the words on her tongue, realizing that they were true.  
  
"Well okay then. Let me access the guy's file. What's his name?"  
  
"Arigato, Nel. His name's Tristan Sushynah."  
  
"No prob, cuz." Neliyah rolled her chair back over to her computer. After a moment, she'd hacked into the phone book records and accessed his file. "Well he's cute and he doesn't have a criminal record, so okay." Neliyah said after a moment. "Tell him to call me tonight. I've got some paperwork to do for my job anyway. Hey, what was he calling for?"  
  
"I said I'd invite him to the reunion. Mom mailed him the invitation this afternoon. You'll take him?"  
  
"Sure. We'd better go somewhere else before then though. I wanna get to know him a little bit at least."  
  
"Ok. Thanks a bunch, Nel. I owe you." Bulma said.  
  
"Sure, no prob as I said before. What are older cousins for? You do owe me though. So how's that project that I understand about half of going?" Neliyah asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Great. How's your anti-hacker software coming along?"  
  
"It's coming. I can still hack into it though. I'm gonna try it out some of my hacker peeps soon though, see how it goes with them. So are your martial arts friends who saved the world more than once coming to the reunion too?" Neliyah asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cool. It's fun messing with Krillin and I'll like seeing Goku again. He's cute. I could go for someone younger than me. My advantage when we get old, right? But I wouldn't want to break up that wonderful marriage. Your girl Chi Chi always gives me suspicious looks anyway. I think I'll get him alone and kiss him this time. I'll just lead him astray with a big hunk of ham or something." Neliyah fantasized.  
  
Bulma cracked up. "That is so mean and you know it! No wonder Chi Chi doesn't trust you!"  
  
"Girl, I'm just playin'. Goku's too cute to lead astray. Maybe I'll just go after your man."  
  
"Hold up! I'd like to see you try!"  
  
"Oh I'll try. I have the feeling he's the serious type. I'll get him, you'll see!"  
  
"You have my permission to try." Bulma said, still laughing. Then a light on her holophone blinked. "Got another call girl. It's Tristan."  
  
"Ok. See ya." Neliyah turned off her holophone.  
  
"Hey Tristan!" Bulma said as his image flashed onto the holophone screen.  
  
"Hi Bulma. How are you?" he asked.  
  
"Fair. Listen. I told you I had a boyfriend. You're not going out with me."  
  
"Then why'd you give me your number?" Tristan asked, puzzled.  
  
"I thought you would be perfect for my cousin. She's coming to the reunion too. I told her and she looked at your file and she wants you to call her. She'd just as pretty as me, maybe more, though I'll never admit it to her. Please, Tristan?"  
  
Tristan looked let down. He sighed. "I don't know. I was looking forward to spending time with you, Bulma."  
  
"Just access her file and then decide. Her name's Neliyah Brief. Besides, you'd have to fight my boyfriend and I don't think you'd win."  
  
"I don't think so, Bulma-"  
  
"Please?" Bulma found herself begging again.  
  
"Well ok. I'll access her file. I'll call you in a few minutes and tell you. See ya for now." Tristan agreed, before terminating the connection.   
  
(A/N: Sorry the chapter's so short this time. I finished writing the story six months ago, I just hadn't bothered to type it up. Must be because I'm lazy.) 


	9. Meditation

Can't Resist - Chapter 9 - Meditation   
  
Disclaimer - I don't own DBZ.  
  
  
  
"I don't know where Vegeta went, honey. He just said he'd be back in a week or so because he needs to meditate." Mrs. Brief told her daughter as she danced arougn watering her garden the next day.  
  
Bulma bit her lip. "Well why'd he leave as suddenly, Mom?"  
  
"I told you. He needs to meditate, Bulma, honey. He probably just needs to set his priorities straight, dear. Water that chrysanthemum bed for me, hon? He didn't look sick or anything. Chi Chi says her Goky goes off to meditate every so often, especially if he's training. I'm sure Vegeta just wanted to take some time off and get himself sorted out. Why as I remember, your grandfather on my side liked to meditate," Mrs. Brief giggled. "He was always rather mad when one of us would jerk him out of it though. And there were so many of us too. My mother would just laugh and shake her head. Oh your grandparents were quite a couple. It's such a shame they moved to that mudist colony. Now I never get to see them. Well my siblings and I did get together and go a couple of years ago, but I haven't been back since. I got a letter from the colony's director saying they were going into a solitary period, but-"  
  
"Mom! What does a mudist colony have to do with Vegeta?! And I though you said they lived on a remote island in Bosnia!"  
  
Mrs. Brief laughed. "I didn't think you actually believed me, dear. I don't even know where Bosnia is! Oh, well back to Vegeta. He did tell me to tell you something. Now what was it?" she wondered.  
  
"He did?! What, Mom?" Bulma asked hopefully.  
  
"Oh, yes, now I remember." Mrs. Brief resumed humming and watering her flowers.  
  
"WHAT MOM?!" Bulma exclaimed.  
  
"Now dear, don't yell. I though I raised you better than to yell at your parents."  
  
"Sorry, Mom." Bulma muttered.  
  
"Vegeta said not to worry because he wasn't going to blow up Goku." Mrs. Brief laughed. "He's such a kidder, that Vegeta. Don't worry about him Bulma, he can take care of himself. And I did ask him if he packed enough socks and underwear and his toothbrush. He said he did, so we're okay there-"  
  
"Mom! You actually asked him that?" Bulma asked, turning pink.  
  
"Of course honey. It's not like he minded or anything. He's a very sweet man, that Vegeta, and such a catch! If only I was twenty years younger and hadn't met your father yet," she sighed. "He also said he would be back in time for the reunion. I made sure of that because I didn't want him missing seeing all his friends and meeting that family. Oh and speaking of the family, Uncle Rod and Aund Dee called to say they can't come. Apparently they're going on safari in the Bermuda Triangle next week. They want to disprove that theory about everyone getting lost in there or something. I told them okay, but Rod is your father's youngest brother. I'm afraid he and that wife of his are always off doing something crazy. Now who were we talking about? Oh yes, that darling man, Vegeta. I'm so happy he chose to stay here and live with us for a while. I like him, don't you, Bulma? And your father does too. Why he told me that Vegeta reminds him of you, same quick temper. Except of course you're his little baby girl. Oh Bulma, I'm so proud of you. I always wanted a beautiful little girl when I was growing up and I was so thrilled when your father and I had you. And you can't imagine how thrilled your father was when we found out you were a genius too. Of course he would've loved you even if you weren't so smart. Oh yes, that reminds me. Neliyah called here last night around nine o'clock and she said it's a go with Tristan. Who's Tristan? And she also said she was gonna add a resume to Vegeta's file by hacking into the government system. I must say I don't entirely approve of her hacking, but I told her it was okay if it was for Vegeta's well-being. Oh my gosh! Finish watering these flowers for me. I have a luncheon to get ready for, one of the wives of the men in your dad's corporation is hosting. You don't have to go. I made excuses because I knew you were busy with your project. I have to drive though, so I'd better get into my business suit and leave. Thanks for watering my flowers, hon!" Mrs. Brief breezed off into the house.  
  
Bulma sighed and turned towards her mother's garden. "I didn't know Dad liked Vegeta . . ."  
  
*****************  
  
A week and a half later, two days before the reunion, Vegeta came back. He'd decided rather abruptly that he needed to leave until he sorted out his feelings about Bulma and staying on Earth. He'd gone to a tiny island in the ocean, though it wasn't nearly as small as Master Roshi's. Still, it was uninhabited and had enough fruit trees and wild animals to last him a while. He didn't eat much since he considered fasting a part of meditation. When it rained it was cool and wet, but when it didn't that was okay too.  
  
In the end, Vegeta had decided that it was okay for him to be with Bulma. It wasn't violating any of the laws of Vegeta-sei and he couldn't leave it up to that idiot Kakarott to repopulate the species anyway. he was sure his kids would be a lot more streetwise and have a lot more spunk than that little brat of Kakarott's. So when he felt ready to stomach the reunion and some how convey his feelings to Bulma without showing them, he went back.  
  
**************  
  
Bulma just happened to be working on her tan in the backyard when Vegeta flew in and landed in front of the door. She was astonished to see him and even more surprised that he hadn't landed in front of her, but the door. She hurriedly rolled off the folding chair and stood up. "Vegeta, wait!" she was relieved when he turned around, "Where have you been? Aren't you going to say hi after more than a week of not seeing me?"  
  
"I'm tired. I'm going to take a shower if it's any of your business." Vegeta inwardly winced at the look of hurt that flashed across Bulma's face.  
  
"I was just worried. I wish you'd have told me you were leaving."  
  
"I don't need anyone to worry about me."  
  
"WELL I DO, OKAY! Even when you're here I worry! I can't help it! It's always, IS TODAY THE DAY HE'LL BLOW HIMSELF UP?! NO? WELL TOMORROW'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! I DO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT YOU KNOW! And this last week, you put me through torture! What if he hits an airplane while he's flying? What if he trains and he can't get up afterwards? What if a maniac comes up behind him and shoots him? What if he drowns? AND NOW YOU'RE BACK AND YOU DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO SAY, HI BULMA, I'M BACK. I AM NOT DEAD, I'M JUST AN IDIOT BAKA FOR LEAVING WITHOUT TELLING YOU!"  
  
"You're not my mother, woman."  
  
"I KNOW THAT! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! THE ONLY REASON I'M YELLING AT YOU IS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Bulma finished, looking shocked but determined to stand by what had just popped out of her mouth.  
  
Vegeta just stared at her, disbelieving his ears. Then he turned and went inside the house. Bulma stared after him with no expression on her face. Then she sat back down on the folding chair and cried in to her hands.  
  
(A/N - Sorry to leave you with a cliff hanger here, but I thought it was the perfect way to end the chapter.) 


	10. Makeup or Breakup

Can't Resist - Chapter 10 - Makeup or Breakup   
  
"Umm. Vegeta, honey?" Mrs. Brief asked, coming into the living room on the evening before the reunion. She sat down on the couch next to Vegeta who was flipping channels on the big screen TV. "I know you've noticed that my daughter, Bulma, has been feeling down lately. Ever since you left, she's lost some of her spirit, but when you came back she got even worse. This reminds me of when my husband went on a business trip when we were first married. He was away for two weeks and I was so excited to see him when he finally came back. But all he did was say hi and head straight for his lab to test out some new idea he'd gotten on the drive home. I was devastated. He finally noticed a week later when he'd finished his project, but only because our maid told him. I wasn't a very good housekeeper back then. So he made it up to me by taking me on a vacation and telling me he loved me even more than his little black cat. The point is, I know Bulma cares about you and you care about her, so you've got to tell her tonight, now in fact. I don't know how you hurt her, but you've got to just go up to her and tell her you love her. Do it, Vegeta, or else I'll never have any sweet grandchildren!" Mrs. Brief finished, almost crying at the last thought.  
  
"But-but how'd you figure this out, Mrs. Brief?" Vegeta asked, staring at her in disbelief.  
  
"I'm a woman, Vegeta, and I know my daughter. I love her so much, and I won't let her be hurt." she said seriously for once. Then her voice returned to it's normal, airheaded tone. "Now go up there and get your girl, honey. But be humble, she'll probably be more than a little angry at you. She's in her room." she smiled when Vegeta rose and she heard his footfalls striding up the stairs. "Ahh, young love. Kids will be kids." She turned to the ballet channel.  
  
*********************  
  
KNOCK KNOCK  
  
Two crisp raps sounded on Bulma's door. Bulma finished hre email to her lawyer about her latest project's progress and called out, "Who is it?" as she pressed the send button.  
  
"Vegeta."  
  
"What do you want?" Bulma asked warily. She was happy but dismayed to hear his voice. She wondered if he'd broken something again and simply wanted her to fix it.  
  
"To talk to you, woman. Why else would I come up here?" Vegeta answered in an irritated voice.  
  
"Well if you're going to be like that, just go away." Bulma said angrily.  
  
"I refuse to beg for your audience." Vegeta said, starting to lose some of his patience.  
  
"Fine. Say whatever you want to say outside the door. I'm listening."  
  
"Fine. I should have told you I was leaving, not your mother." Vegeta confessed, amazed that those words were actually coming out of his mouth. "I should have sought you out right away when I came back . . . I should have told you I missed you." The last part took a lot of Vegeta's pride to say, and he said it very reluctantly.  
  
"Yeah. You should have." Bulma said coldly. "What made you see the light?" she asked after a moment.  
  
"Your mother. I find her easier to stand than most earthlings. Can I come in?"  
  
"Look. I know you're sorry, even if you won't say it, but I'm not sure I want to go through this again."  
  
'This is ridiculous. Me, the prince of all saiyans, son of Vegeta. I am standing out in the hallway waiting for some woman to give me permission to enter her room. Why do I even care? But there is a good reason, and if I could see this woman, I would remember that reason. I know she's not going to turn me away in the end, so should I leave and let her suffer some more? . . . . no that wouldn't be honorable. And it would be weak.'  
  
"Can I come in?" Vegeta asked again.  
  
There was a moment's silence. "Sure, if you really want. The door's unlocked." She swivelled in her chair so that she faced the door.  
  
Vegeta came in looking casual in khakis and a pale blue shirt. He shut the door behind him, folded his arms, and leaned back against the wall near the door. "Nice room." he said after a moment.  
  
"Thanks." Bulma said, and stared at him expectantly. When he didn't say anything, she spoke. "So what are you saying, Vegeta? I haven't seen you for two days and before that almost two weeks, and now you just show up outside my door. If you want to make it with me you can't be like this. It's too much for me." she shook her head and frowned. "I know it's not easy for you to talk about your feelings, but at least talk to me. I've never told anyone what you've told me about yourself and I never will if you don't want me to. Can't you trust me?"  
  
Vegeta swallowed hard. "I do trust you about that, but I need control over myself. I do need you, but . . ." Vegeta ran out of words.  
  
"I'm not trying to rule your life! Who told you women were like that? Does my mom rule my dad's life? Does Chi Chi rule Goku? She may think she does, but he's slipped through her fingers too many times for that. I don't want to control you. I'd have thought you knew that." Bulma said disdainfully.  
  
"I do. I just don't like knowing that you could." Vegeta blurted out angrily.  
  
Bulma looked at him in shock for a moment. "Oh Vegeta! That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!" Bulma exclaimed happily, smiling.  
  
Vegeta looked confused. "What?"  
  
"Never mind. I forgive you for being a jerk."  
  
"What!?!"  
  
"Come over and sit down. I've got to finish checking my email."  
  
Vegeta came over and sat down in a bean bag chair. After a few minutes of furious typing on Bulma's part, he relaxed and leaned back, stretching out his legs.  
  
"Ok. Done. You should get am email address, Vegeta. They're very useful. So . . ." she turned off the computer. "Where'd you actually go to meditate?" she asked, curious.  
  
"An uninhabited island."   
  
"Oh. You know, you don't have to go to the reunion if you don't want to."  
  
"I will out of respect to my hosts."  
  
"Oh, and my family's going to be staying here for a few days afterwards, the one's that don't live around here, anyway. It'll be a little noisy, just so you're warned. I don't think my mom told you."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll just blow them up if they get in my way." Vegeta smirked.  
  
"Very funny. Some of my cousins have kids that might be annoying though. They're terrors. Last time we all got together, one of the boys got into the kitchen at the resort we were at and blew it up. The press had a field day on that one." Bulma recalled. "They'll all be arriving tomorrow, around ten, even though the reunion's supposed to start to noon."  
  
"You don't have to talk all the time. You human females are too chatty." Vegeta muttered.  
  
"Hmph. What are saiyan females like then? I bet they're just as chatty."  
  
"I should've heeded my father's words when he warned me about females."  
  
"What?! Some men have a lot of nerve. While all men can be inconsiderate, uncaring morons at times, it's worse when they have nerve. Take for wxample the ridiculous stereotype that women are supposed to cook and clean for their family."  
  
"They are. I don't expect you to though."  
  
"You're hopeless. And you better not expect me to cook for you just because I'm female."  
  
"I already told you I don't. The servant woman's a better cook than you'll ever be."  
  
"I just forgave you not ten minutes ago and you're already trying to frustrate me." Bulma scolded. "Is it working?"  
  
"Yes!" Bulma exclaimed. Then she giggled. "Are we just going to argue for the rest of our lives? How long do saiyans live anyway?"  
  
"I don't know. They all died in combat, as is honorable."  
  
"What?!" Bulma fell off the back of her chair. Climbing to her knees and resting her elbows on the swivel chair she'd just fallen off of, she looked at him warily. "You're not planning on doing that anytime soon, are you?"  
  
"No. I have yet to face my greatest challenge before I die."  
  
"Oh. Good then." Bulma breathed, relieved. "I meant everything I said when I yelled at you."  
  
"Which time you yelled at me?"  
  
"Stop joking. In case you didn't hear me before, I said I worry about you and I love you. Now don't be sarcastic and just say yes."  
  
"Yes to what -"  
  
"Just say it!" Bulma ordered.  
  
"It."  
  
"Vegeta!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just say yes!"  
  
"Fine. Yes. Now what does 'yes' mean?" an exasperated saiyan asked.  
  
Bulma happily came over to him and hugged him, laying all over Vegeta since he was sitting down in the bean bag chair if you remember. "That you worry about me and you love me. You've got five seconds to say no and take it back, but if you do, I'll kill you."  
  
Vegeta smirked. "Like that could ever happen."  
  
"Okay. Count down starts. Five . . . four . . . three . . .two . . .one-"  
  
"Nnn-" Vegeta teased. Bulma clamped her hand over his mouth.  
  
"As I was saying - onezero!" she took her hand off Vegeta's mouth. "I knew you were just too shy to say it."  
  
"What! Too shy!?" Vegeta spluttered.  
  
"Aww shut up and don't ruin the moment. Tomorrow I'll have to deal with all my relatives so I won't have any alone time with you."  
  
"Alone time? I really should have listened to my father."  
  
"Well it's too late now. You're stuck with me. Besides, you know you love it." Bulma hugged Vegeta tighter.  
  
"I am not a teddy bear, you're strangling."  
  
Bulma loosened up and rolled her eyes. "I didn't think it was possible for little old me to hurt you. Maybe I wouldn't strangle you if you'd reciprocate a little. Do I have to drag a little action out of you too?"  
  
"Too? You didn't drag anything out of me."  
  
"Like I said before, shut up and don't ruin the moment, Vegeta."  
  
"What moment?"  
  
"You are so frustrating, you know that? I refuse to beg." Bulma said, this time really a little flustered.  
  
"Oh relax. You've got a quick temper."  
  
"Oh now I'VE got a quick temper?! What about you? You're not exactly Mr. Laidback yourself."  
  
"At least I've got something to back it up with."  
  
"Yeah and so do I."  
  
"No comment." Vegeta smirked.  
  
"Ugh. You make me mad."  
  
Vegeta smirked some more.  
  
Bulma grabbed Vegeta's arms, placed them around her, and kissed him. "There. That's all I wanted you to do." she said when she came up for air. "Is it so hard?" "It's harder not giving you what you want. I prefer the challenge." Vegeta answered.  
  
"LIAR! You just won't admit it. I'll get you one of these days when you have a weak moment." Bulma declared as they kissed again.  
  
After a few minutes, there was a knock on Bulma's door.  
  
"What?" Bulma yelled, turning her face away from Vegeta's kisses for a moment.  
  
"It's your mother, honey. I'd just like to remind you to keep it PG-13 in there, alright?" Mrs. Brief said in a sing song voice.  
  
"Mom I am twenty- ----, not some teenager!" Bulma yelled.  
  
Mrs. Brief laughed. "Oh dear. Sometimes I forget. Sorry, Bulma, honey. I'll just go off to bed now. Remember, you have to wake up early and be ready at eight tomorrow morning. The butchers are delivering then. See ya later kids!" Mrs. Brief went dancing off up the hallway and down the stairs.  
  
"She's right. You really should get some rest. It's unbelievably hard for you to wake up earlier than eleven."  
  
"Ha. You're just embarrassed." Bulma yawned.  
  
Vegeta smirked back at her.  
  
"Hey. It took a lot of energy to be miserable for two whole days." Bulma defended herself.  
  
"Well next time, don't yawn in my face."  
  
"Why, do I have bad breath?" she asked, breathing into his face.  
  
"No, but I can see an unsettlingly long way down your throat. You never got you tonsils out."  
  
Bulma bunched her right hand into a fist and touched it to Vegeta's cheek. "Watch it buddy."  
  
"Get off me, your breaking my back."  
  
"No way. Who knows how long it'll take me to get you in my clutches again."  
  
"Oh fine." Vegeta grumbled, standing up with some difficulty since Bulma clung to him, giggling.  
  
Vegeta reached a moment of indecision, but he decided to do what was right. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll get your way again soon. Unlike you, I don't keep unholy hours, six in the morning is early."  
  
"I guess you're right." Bulma admitted reluctantly.  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
"Well don't gloat about it." said Bulma irately, walking backwards as Vegeta walked to the door. He reached around her to open it and stepped out into the hallway.  
  
"Are you going to cling to me all the way downstairs?" he asked in a patronizing tone.  
  
"No. But only because you'd probably shake me off and I'd roll down the stairs. Besides, my arms hurt." she let go of Vegeta. "See ya tomorrow morning. Be prepared to see me at breakfast too. Just this once I'm coming with you on your morning jog."  
  
Vegeta smirked at that and went off downstairs to his room. Bulma disappeared back into hers, smiling.  
  
*********************  
  
It was the black dream again, only this time he was already close to the light. Once again he noticed the white light was actually rainbows shimmering around a figure. The close he got to the woman, the more he realized his senses were coming back. She smelled like a mix of all the scents in Mrs. Brief's garden. He could hear the rainbows whooshing around her and the sound of her laughter. Then he saw her. It was Bulma. She was wearing pale blue robes that ebbed and flowed like the tide. She reached out her hand and he took it, feeling the touch of her smooth, warm skin. Within the rainbows was a palace, gloomy and imposingly dark. It was his father's palace, in the capital city of Vegeta-sei. Vegeta allowed Bulma to lead him inside the gloomy palace. As soon as she entered, it lit up into all the formal glory Vegeta remembered and filled with all the dead saiyan warriors of his time. They smiled at him as Bulma gently propelled him up a long hallway. They lined the hallway on both sides and bowed as he passed.  
  
Vegeta had no memory of how long he let Bulma pull him along, bringing life back to the castle wherever she stepped, as he stared wide-eyed at his people. He felt as if he was in a dream within a dream until they entered the throne room. The king and queen sat on their thrones, flanked by the elite.   
  
Bulma let go of his hand and walked forward toward them. For Vegeta, all color left the world when she let go and the saiyan palace became shadowy. It seemed real only in a small area around Bulma. Bulma reached the two thrones and dropped down on one knee, bending her head. Her hair slipped over her shoulders, exposing her neck. She froze in that position, pale blue robes still flowing.  
  
"Prince Vegeta, my son. This is the woman you have chosen?" King Vegeta asked, looking Vegeta over.  
  
"Yes." Vegeta answered.  
  
"She is beautiful, my son." his mother approved.  
  
"She is worthy, never mind her beauty." King Vegeta said. "The saiyans accept this woman as their new ruler, Prince Vegeta."  
  
Bulma seemed to be released from her position. King Vegeta stood and took her hand. She stood between the two thrones, casting light upon the king and queen so that those were the only real figures in the great hall.  
  
"Come, Prince Vegeta, and take her hand." the queen ordered sternly.  
  
Vegeta slowly walked up the steps to the thrones of his parents. Bulma reached her hand out and he took it. The king and queen stood from their thrones and color flooded back as Vegeta turned to face the hall.  
  
"The new royal couple." King Vegeta announced gravely. He removed his neck chain and placed it around Vegeta's shoulders. "Rule wisely."  
  
"Make it official my love, my son." the queen said from the other side of Bulma. "My grandchildren will be beautiful. They will be strong. You will make them strong."  
  
Vegeta looked at Bulma, this dream Bulma that was so different from his, but so alike. She hadn't said a word this whole time. Now she spoke. "We've been waiting for you for so long. We all love you, our prince. Most of us can't show it anymore." she gestured around the hall. "Your subjects love you because they honor and respect you, looking to you for leadership. Your parents love you because you are their son, their baby forever. I love you because you love me."  
  
Bulma closed her eyes and Vegeta was drawn to her again. He kissed her. He woke up. 


	11. Shorts or Sweatpants?

Disclaimer - I don't own DBZ. I do own Neliyah, made her up myself.  
  
Can't Resist - Chapter 11 - Shorts or Sweatpants?  
  
-and he was still kissing her, but he didn't really care how Bulma had gotten into his room, or that she'd turned off his alarm and crawled in next to him under the covers of his bed, wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt, it felt like.  
  
"I told you to be prepared to see me this morning." Bulma said airily, rolling out of bed and lacing up her running shoes. "Now what do you usually do first?"  
  
"Think about how lucky I am when I don't have to wake up to you in the morning."  
  
"Same thing here. After that?" Bulma asked, unfazed.  
  
"Brush my teeth." Vegeta rolled off the side of his bed, yawning and luckily landed on his feet. He shuffled over to his adjoining bathroom and shut the door.  
  
Bulma shrugged and searched through Vegeta's drawer until she found some jogging clothes. "Do you want to wear shorts or sweat pants?" she called.  
  
"Sweat pants." Vegeta yelled over the water running in the sink.  
  
Bulma chose a clean pair and tossed it, a t-shirt, and some clean underwear into the bathroom.  
  
"Now you're telling me what to wear." Vegeta grumbled as he dressed.  
  
"Oh you like being waited on, admit it . . . Where are your socks anyway?"  
  
"In the basket by the door to the porch."  
  
"Are they clean?"  
  
"Yes! Who do you think I am?"  
  
"Never mind. What do we do next?" Bulma asked, tossing a pair of socks to Vegeta as he came out of the bathroom.  
  
"Do you really mean to come jogging with me?"  
  
"Yeah. Slowly though. Where do you run at anyway?"  
  
"The forest. But I think I'll do the park today. You'd probably get lost and then Kakarott would try to kill me. Or a dinosaur might eat you." Vegeta considered.  
  
"Okay, the park please. I'm through getting chased by dinosaurs for the rest of my life."  
  
***********************  
  
"Bulma honey, Vera and I have to get the chefs set up so could you greet the family?" Mrs. Briefs asked, popping her head into Bulma's room four hours later at ten o'clock.  
  
"Sure, Mom. What should I wear? This skirt is nice, but which top?" Bulma asked, holding up a green corduroy skirt.  
  
"Hmmm. I like the pale blue sleeveless top with the pretty bows on the sides. Make one side short and one long. Oh, and shoes! Hmmm." she rooted around in Bulma's closet for a few moments. "Oh, these are perfect, they batch your shirt exactly, don't you think?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot about those boots. They just might work. Thanks, Mom."  
  
"You're welcome, honey. Now please try not to lose your temper this time."  
  
"Sure, Mom." Bulma agreed as Mrs. Brief smiled and left. After she dressed, Bulma picked up a science magazine and went downstairs to wait in the parlor for her family's guests to arrive.  
  
Neliyah and Tristan showed up around 11:30am looking happy, arm in arm.  
  
The cousins hugged each other. "You're looking good, Kiddo!" Neliyah exclaimed, stepping back to look at her cousin. "Cute outfit."  
  
"You're not so bad yourself, Nel. Don't call me kiddo."  
  
"When are you going to stop telling me not to?" Neliyah asked, laughing.  
  
"Hi, Tristan." Bulma, greeted, shaking hands with him.  
  
"Hey. Nice digs. Now I know why I thought I'd heard your name before, Capsule Corp. - those Briefs." Bulma smiled, "Guilty. The party's in the back. Just head back down that hallway. There are signs."  
  
"Wait, where's that delicious looking man of yours?" Neliyah asked. "Vegeta, right? I can't wait to see him in person."  
  
"He's around." Bulma shrugged. "He might be eating outside or in his room. Just head on back. You'll meet him soon enough."  
  
"Alright! Come on, Tristan. See ya, kiddo." Neliyah dragged Tristan back to the party.  
  
Yamcha and Puar were the next to arrive.  
  
"Hi, Bulma." Puar squeaked.  
  
"Hey guys. How's it been going? I haven't seen you two in a long while." Bulma said, giving each a hug.  
  
"Lookin' good, Bulma." Yamcha commented.  
  
"Thanks." Bulma laughed. "The party's in the back. I'll talk to you guys later."  
  
"We'll look forward to it, Bulma." Puar squeaked before they disappeared down the hallway.  
  
The Son family arrived next. There was a chorus of 'Hi, Bulma's and then Goku asked. "Where's the food?"  
  
Chi Chi elbowed him. "It's wonderful that you and your parents got this together, Bulma. Thanks for inviting us."  
  
"Oh come on, Chi Chi. I missed you guys. The holophone's not the same as face to face." she hugged her. "And the food's in the back, Goku, but save a little room 'cause we're having an eating contest later. My mom's got it into her head that she can make a saiyan full. I told her whatever, she can try."  
  
Bulma and Chi Chi laughed, while Goku just looked confused and Gohan smiled.  
  
There's a bunch of kids your age here, Gohan, my cousins. You can play with them if you want. Oh, and I don't think Piccolo got here yet, I thought he was coming with you guys."  
  
"Naah. He said he'd show up late since he doesn't eat." Goku explained. "Well, where's Vegeta?" he tittered a little and put his hand behind his head.  
  
Bulma shrugged. "I dunno. He's around. He'll probably pop up behind you or something. Or maybe my cousin, Neliyah, found him." Bulma smirked. "I hope she doesn't until I get there. Remember her?"  
  
"Boy do I." Chi Chi answered grimly.  
  
"You mean the pretty one with the dark green hair?" Goku asked.  
  
Chi Chi elbowed him.  
  
Bulma grinned. "Yeah. Don't worry, Chi Chi. She told me Goku's too cute to lead astray."  
  
"Why of all the cheek!" Chi Chi declared. "We'll see you later, Bulma." she marched off down the hall. Goku and Gohan looked at each other, shrugged, and followed.  
  
By twelve-thirty, most of the Z-fighters and Bulma's family had arrived. Krillin had come with his usual airheaded fashion model type girlfriend. This one had seemed to possess at least an average intelligence. Krillin introduced her as 'Babycakes'. Bulma wondered if anyone would ever figure out the girl's real name. Tien, Chaotzu, and Launch had been looking happy though. Bulma just hoped Lauch didn't sneeze anywhere near her or Chi Chi because the scene wouldn't be pretty. Bulma was tired of answering the door and ready to socialize, so she snagged a robot and programmed it to greet guests so she could head to the party.  
  
As soon as she stepped into the magnificently transformed back gardens, two of her cousins, along with Gohan, came racing along and clung to her.  
  
"Hi Bulma! Show us a gadget! Please!"  
  
"Yeah, did you make that new super soaker water gun I asked you to last summer?"  
  
"Oh course I did." Bulma said, rolling her eyes. She reached behind the kitchen door and brought out two water guns she'd upgraded a couple weeks ago. She handed one each to her cousins. "Be careful, they're loaded."  
  
"Yeah! Thanks, Bulma!" they chorused. "We're gonna hit you, Gohan."  
  
"Yeah right. I'm too quick for you two." Gohan scoffed and took off, followed by the armed kids.  
  
"Hey, Bulma." Bulma's younger cousin, Robert, stepped lightly up the porch steps with his wife.  
  
"Hey, Rob. Are you enjoying yourself?"  
  
"Sure am. I spotted your old boyfriend around here somewhere. Where's your new one?"  
  
"What! Who told you I have a new one?"  
  
"Nel, why?"  
  
"Rrrrrrr. She's not supposed to tell anyone. Don't spread this any further, please, Rob. I've got my reasons."  
  
"Whatever you say, Bulma. Hang on, I'll go shut her up." he and his wife melted back into the fray.  
  
***********************  
  
"Wow. I like the improvements Bulma made to the GT." Goku said around a mouthful.  
  
"Yes. It goes up to 500 times normal gravity now."  
  
"Nice, Vegeta, nice. I guess she'll be having to make a new one in a few months, ey." he elbowed Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta frowned. "How's your training coming, Kakarott."  
  
"Just fine, Vegeta. Gohan, Piccolo, and I have greatly improved." Goku said, rising to the challenge.  
  
Just then, Bulma poked her head into the GT. "Oh, I thought I'd find you two here. The eating contest's about to start. Are you entering?"  
  
Goku's eyes lit up. "You bet. How about it, Vegeta? It'll be you and me."  
  
"You're on, Kakarott."  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes. "As if the strongest fighter could be determined by the results of an eating contest. You two are pathetic." she shook her head and left, heading back towards the party.  
  
Neliyah intercepted her on the path from the GT. "Bulma! Sorry I told Rob. Didn't know you wanted it so hush hush, kiddo."  
  
"Well I don't want my friends knowing. I don't think this is the time or place to settle it with them. It doesn't feel right. Besides, I owe it to Yamcha to tell him first and in person since we were together for so long. Thanks, Nel."  
  
"Well so-oo-ry, kiddo. What, are you just gonna show up one day with a baby and say, this is mine and Vegeta's kid?"  
  
"No. I plan on telling them before that happens." Bulma defended herself indignantly.  
  
"Look. Let's just drop it, cuz. We can argue about this later. Besides, you never took my advice before and it's all worked out much better than I'd've planned for. Now where is this elusive hunk of muscle?"  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes and looked back down the path. "Look." she pointed. "There's him and Goku now. They're planning on entering the eating contest."  
  
"Aaaahhh!" Neliyah clapped her hands in delight. "He's even better in real life. Vegeta's a saiyan too, right? And that means he eats as fast as Goku! This is going to be great!" Neliyah glanced around for Chi Chi. "Good, Miss Police-wife isn't around. I haven't even talked to Goku yet. See ya at the contest, Bulma!" she practically skipped off towards Goku and Vegeta.  
  
Bulma just shook her head and went inside to program a robot to deliver ice to the soda coolers every half hour.  
  
***********************  
  
"Hi guys. Remember me?" a pretty green haired woman asked, bouncing up to Vegeta and Goku.  
  
Goku laughed, throwing his left hand behing his head. "Sure I do, Neliyah." he said as she shook his other hand, then hugged him. "And you must be Vegeta!", Neliyah said, turning towards him. "How nice to meet you. I'm Bulma's cousin, Neliyah. Well one of her cousins anyway." she shook Vegeta's hand and placed herself between them as they continued walkig to the pavilion where the eating contest was being set up. "I met your son a couple hours ago, Goku. He's just so adorable, the sweetest child. I'm afraid I haven't spoken to Chi Chi yet though." Neliyah laughed. "I'm sure she doesn't like me much anyway." Smoothly, she reached back and grabbed Vegeta's arm as he was trying to fade into step behind her and Goku.  
  
"Come up here where I can see you, Vegeta." she turned to Goku. "Isn't he just the handsomest? And so modest. Of course I'm sure your enemies have called you a pretty boy once or twice, Goku."   
  
Goku blushed and mumbled an intelligible reply.  
  
"So how goes it with you two?" Neliyah asked. "Training coming along well?"  
  
"Mmmhmmm. What are you up to lately?" Goku replied.  
  
"Oh just finishing the touches on my anti-hacker software. You know, programming it was a real treat. I tried it out on some of my hacker peeps and they can't break the coding, so it's all good. Of course I can as I developed it, but that shouldn't be a problem. I have a very good lawyer who has no clue I'm a hacker anyway. And whew! Capsule Corp needs a new protection program. I've hacked into their system way too easily. It's only a matter of time before my croonies figure out how to and start selling blueprints to rival companies. But enough about me. Well I'll go and snag that guy I was with. Vegeta, I don't think you've said one word this whole time. I'm sorry for talking so much."  
  
Vegeta mumbled something sulkily.  
  
"Well see you two at the eating contest. You can bet I'll be watching. My uncle Ned thinks he can beat everyone here. But I know the appetite of a saiyan." she released Vegeta's arm, winked, and went off in search of Tristan.  
  
"Well it was nice seeing her again." Goku mumbled, still a little frazzled.  
  
"Whatever Kakarott. She reminds me too much of Bulma." Vegeta scoffed.  
  
"Yeah, well she's not as bossy or touchy as Bulma."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I still say you're going down, Kakarott." 


	12. Take Me to the Stars

Disclaimer - I don't own DBZ.  
  
Can't Resist - Chapter 12 - Take Me to the Stars  
  
" . . . and so I'm happy that we were able to plan this little reunion for our daughter, Bulma." Mrs. Brief finally finished her speech. Everyone clapped loudly, grateful that she'd shut up at last.  
  
"And now we're going to have an eating contest. You all know that Uncle Ned was champion last year."  
  
There were cheers.  
  
"But this year we have some new competitors. If anyone feels up to challenging Uncle Ned, just grab a place at the head table. And don't be bashful now!" Mrs. Brief encouraged.  
  
Ten people stepped out of the crowd and took a seat. Vegeta and Goku sat at opposite ends of the long table. Uncle Ned, the eleventh, sat in the middle as the former champion.  
  
"Okay, great people. Now we'll do this with elimination rounds. Whoever finishes last loses. The condolence prize is ten zenii. Any more speeches before we start?" Mrs. Brief asked.  
  
The crowd groaned.  
  
"I guess not then." Mrs. Brief laughed. "Okay chefs! The first round is ten bowls of rice."  
  
One by one the contestants fell until there were only three - Uncle Ned, Goku, and Vegeta. By now, they each had their own cheering sections. Uncle Ned was looking decidedly green, but Goku and Vegeta looked normal. On his third bowl of rice pudding, Uncle Ned lost it and dumped the bowl of pudding over his pudgy head.  
  
"I forfeit . . . they're just. . . . too . . . strong," he whispered into the referee, Mrs. Brief's ear.  
  
"Aww guys, Uncle Ned forfeits! But let's give the former champion a round of applause anyway!" Mrs. Brief called into her microphone as Uncle Ned was carried to a chair in the audience. "Okay folks, last round! Will the winner be Goku?"  
  
There were cheers.  
  
"-or Vegeta!"  
  
There were more cheers.  
  
"Now before we have the last round, I'd like to remind you all that we're not having the reunion next year-"  
  
The kids groaned.  
  
"-because of reasons we adults know and you kids are welcome to try and find out. Also, Lacy will be heading off to college next year at Harvard, that's a prestigious American university. We hope she'll come back as a fine lawyer and maybe even work for Capsule Corporation. Let's all wish Lacy good luck!" Mrs. Brief announced enthusiastically.  
  
Everyone clapped and Lacy called out "Thanks Auntie!"  
  
"You're welcome, Lacy. And it appears the eldest twins will be entering high school this upcoming school year. Don't we all remember high school. Good luck Craig and David. Get out there and make that basketball team! Let's have a cheer!" Mrs. Brief clapped and the relatives joined her. The twins blushed and sank down in their seats.  
  
Twenty children and ten job promotions later, Mrs. Brief finally reached the end of her speech. By this time, half the crowd was comatose, Tien and Chaotzu had run out of knock-knock jokes to tell each other telepathically, and every single person had gotten squirted with the water guns Bulma had given her small cousins - except for Gohan. Krillin's girlfriend, Babycakes, was growing so bored that she'd started berating Krillin. In fact, the only people sitting down that were awake were listening to Krillin get scolded and wincing. Dr. Brief had disappeared into his lab with his smarter siblings while Mrs. Brief's siblings just shook their heads and told people around them that she'd always been like that, it was really sad. Goku was snoring. Vegeta had closed his eyes and folded his arms, tuning her out. Yamcha was busy convincing one of Bulma's cousins to go out with him, but she wasn't buying it. Neliyah, discovering that Tristan could draw, had ordered him to sketch a picture of her so she could slip it into Goku's pocket and make Chi Chi even more jealous. The Ox King was one of the comatose people, who also included Piccolo, Korin, Kami, Oolong, Mr. Popo, Puar, and Launch.  
  
" . . . and so, with out further ado, let the contest resume. Oh, and don't give out any interviews to the press next time people. People? La- la- LAH!" she screeched. "Oh I knew that would wake you all up. Now chefs - bring in the five full course meals! Whoever finishes first wins! But what's the prize? Capsule corp will pay all your debts and build a wine cellar in your basement! We'll stock it full of course and have one of our world class chefs cook you up a fabulous dinner at any world class restaurant of your choosing, free of charge! And while all the renovations are going on, we'll send you on an all expense paid trip to a tropical island of your choice, with spending money! And we'll also pay for your kids' college education!" Mrs. Brief giggled. "Why I sound like a television announcer, silly me. Now are you ready?"  
  
Chi Chi ran up, elbowed Goku, whispered something in his ear about Gohan's college education, and walked serenely back to her seat.  
  
Goku blinked blearily and woke up fully when he saw the first full course meal in front of him. "Yes!"  
  
"Vegeta, are you ready?"  
  
"Whatever." Vegeta grumbled. A couple of Bulma's high school age cousins sighed.  
  
"He's sooo handsome! And he has the best manners! And look at those muscles. Goku's cute, but he's married. Do you think Vegeta would go out with me?" They laughed to each other.  
  
"Not a chance. Bulma's probably got her claws hooked into him. She always gets the best guys. Hey, I heard her and Yamcha broke up. I asked her and she said it's true."  
  
"Why is he here then?"  
  
"Dunno, but he asked Jess out, or tried anyway."  
  
"Yeah, where is he anyway?"  
  
"Over there with Marcie. Think she'll say yes to him?"  
  
"No way. Her boyfriend would flip. I'm surprised she didn't bring him."  
  
"Yeah. I'll have to ask her if they broke up. I never like him anyway. Vegeta is way cooler."  
  
"You don't even know him."  
  
"And you do?"  
  
"I could get to know him a lot easier than you could."  
  
"Could not."  
  
"Could not? That is so immature."  
  
"Humph. He's too old for you anyway."  
  
"Too old? You're only a year older than me."  
  
"A year counts for a lot in maturity."  
  
"Yeah right, besides, I saw Neliyah walking with both of them earlier."  
  
"So? Nel's always with some guy or another. Look, not she's got the guy she came with drawing her, for Kami's sake."  
  
"Hey, isn't that Kami over there?"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"There."  
  
"I don't know. Besides, Nel and Bulma are really close. Bulma wouldn't care if Nel was around Vegeta too much."  
  
"We don't even know they're a couple."  
  
"They are. I heard he lives here. He's one of those martial artists that saved the world and stuff."  
  
"He is? I like a guy who can defend me."  
  
"Oh, get over it. He'd probably expect you to learn to defend yourself."  
  
"Well Bulma's certainly no fighter and you seem so convinced they're a couple."  
  
"Like you could ever steal Bulma's guy out from under her. She'd kill you. You know how quick a temper she's got."  
  
"I don't know how any guys have survived a date with her." the girl snickered.  
  
"Oh quit it. You know you look up to her."  
  
"Sure I do. I wish I was that smart. Even Nel's a genius in her own way."  
  
"You mean the hacker thing?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Yeah, now shut up, they're about to begin."  
  
"You shut up. Don't tell me to shut up."  
  
"Well so-o-ry! Just be quiet, please."  
  
"Ok. Please was all you had to say."  
  
**********************  
  
At ten o'clock, Bulma found herself in the front parlor, wishing the Z gang farewell.  
  
"Great party, Bulma. Chaotzu, Launch, and I had fun." Tien commented.  
  
"Yeah, thanks, Bulma." Chaotzu agreed. "Tien and I are off to train in the mountains. I hope we'll see you before the androids emerge."  
  
The Z fighters grew serious.  
  
"Yes. We're all going to train our hardest to beat them once and for all." Goku said gravely. "Gohan, Piccolo, and I are going back to the wilderness tomorrow. We all agree to meet outside of North City, right?" he gazed around at his friends.  
  
"Right, Goku." Krillin agreed, clenching his fists. "Hey, tell me if you feel that heart disease coming on. We don't want you falling apart out there in the wilderness."  
  
"Sure, Krillin."  
  
"Yeah, tell me too, Goku." Bulma said.  
  
"Gee." Goku put his hand behind his head. "I didn't know you guys were worried. I'll be fine. I have the medicine."  
  
"I have the medicine, you mean." Chi Chi spoke up. "I'd never let you bring it with you to train. What if it fell out of your pocket? I'd never forgive myself."  
  
"Lighten up guys." Yamcha put in. "Chi Chi's got it covered. Since we've got the medicine, I'm more worried about training my best so we don't all die. So I'll see you guys, it's getting late."  
  
There was a chorus of - Yeah, you're rights. And in a half an hour they'd all left. Bulma missed them already, especially Goku, Yamcha, and Chi Chi. She had been happy with Yamcha for years and they were friends. She decided it was time she let him know he was forgiven and invited him over more often. Her parents did like him. (Well her mom liked everyone, so that didn't count.) And he and Puar had been part of her life for too long to just cast aside. If anything, Puar didn't deserve that.  
  
Bulma's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Neliyah and Vegeta. Neliyah was staying for a week. She's seen Tristan out and immediately gone off in search of Vegeta. Now she had him by the arm. Bulma wondered why he hadn't just blown her off and gone off somewhere to sulk or do whatever he did alone.  
  
"Hey, Bulma, I've got Vegeta prisoner here. Did Goku and the others leave?"  
  
Bulma plopped down on a couch. "Yeah. Five minutes or so ago. They're resuming their training tomorrow, so they need their rest. Why? Did you want to talk to one of them?"  
  
"Nah. I already slipped my picture into Goku's pocket. He didn't even notice. I just wrote -Love Neliyah- on a corner. Chi Chi is gonna flip!" Neliyah's eyes went dreamy for a second. "I wish I could see it." Her eyes cleared. "If they have a computer, maybe I could hack into it and use the little camera on the top to film it."  
  
"They don't." Bulma told her, cutting of Neliyah's brainstorming, not caring whether that was true or not. "Where have you been, Vegeta?"  
  
"Trying to avoid your relatives."  
  
"Well I see that worked out fine." she glanced at Neliyah. "I haven't seen hide nor hair of you since the monumental eating contest." her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Did you leave and then come back?"  
  
"There you go trying to be my mother again." Vegeta smirked. "Just have some kids and get it over with."  
  
"You are so lucky I don't have enough strength left to take you down."  
  
"You, take down all those muscles?" Neliyah scoffed. "Vegeta, this lady is delirious. Listen, Bulma, I'll stay here and take care of any last minute stragglers that aren't staying over. Hows about you and Vegeta go somewhere to relax, wind-down, mellow out. He'll fly you there, right, Vegeta?" Neliyah nudged him.  
  
"Sure." he coughed out, surprised.  
  
"Come on, Bulma! Do it!"  
  
"Well a nice break does sound okay . . ."  
  
"Great! I'll tell your parents." Let me just run up and unlock your balcony so you can come in that way. By the time I come back, you'd both best be gone." Neliyah fairly sang. She pushed Vegeta a few steps toward Bulma and skipped off up the stairs.  
  
Bulma closed her eyes. "Well, where are we going then? Know any nice spots from your jogs?"  
  
"You mean with a view of the mountains behind you and the city below?"  
  
"Yes." Bulma agreed, opening her eyes.  
  
"No. Are there any on Earth?"  
  
Bulma hauled herself to her feet. "Then I'll pick the spot, you just fly." she grabbed Vegeta's hand and dragged him outside into the front yard. "Now pick me up so we can go."  
  
"I don't think I can."  
  
"Why?" Bulma asked, a little concerned.  
  
"You're heavier than any person I've ever met."  
  
"Why do I deal with you if all you do is insult me?"  
  
"I don't know." Vegeta smirked.  
  
"Let's just go. I don't feel like being stopped by the police either, so don't get caught." Bulma hooked her arms around Vegeta's neck and closed her eyes.  
  
Vegeta debated flying with her only holding onto his neck, but he doubted she'd last very long and she was clearly tired anyway. Her ki was at an all time low. Besides, she was likely to tell if he did that. So he simply picked her up and flew about fifty stories up, secretly enjoying the fact that Bulma, tense at the first moment of flight, had relaxed and leaned passively against his chest. "So where to, woman? I can't hover here forever."  
  
"Take me to an uninhabited island with a waterfall. I need a quick dip to refresh me so I can deal with you." Bulma ordered, closing her eyes once more. "And don't drop me. I'll come back to haunt you." She sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position.  
  
Vegeta sighed. 'I do love her, but her elbow's digging into my stomach.' He moved her arm and started flying towards the sea.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Vegeta." Bulma mumbled. "This is relaxing already. Just fly around, we don't have to find an island."  
  
"No way, woman. My arms'll fall off in a half hour from the strain of holding you that long."  
  
"A couple months ago, you flew me home no sweat."  
  
"That was then, this is now."  
  
"Are you implying that I've gained weight?! I'll have you know I lost ten pounds!"  
  
"You should check your scale again." Vegeta advised. "Very funny. You know, I'm not even going to argue anymore. I am twenty -----. I shouldn't be arguing like a five year old with anyone, even you." she glanced down at the islands whooshing past. "Hey! Slow down. How am I supposed to pick one out if we're flying the speed of light? . . . thanks. That one looked promising, oh no, a village. Well it didn't have a waterfall anyway. . ."  
  
Vegeta began to realize, as he grew bored, that looking for an island was like shopping to his woman. She had to go to every single store before she finally chose to actually go in. And then it was on to ten more before she found something she wanted. And then it wasn't in her size, so she had to go to a couple more until she finally got down to comparing prices. And then she came back next week when there was a sale. He shook his head in disgust. 'No one even cares about what she wears anyway. She looks the same, no matter what. Only the other females care, and they don't matter. Geez. An island is an island - just a piece of land jutting up from the water with plants growing all over it. What's the big deal about a view?'  
  
"Aah, there's the perfect one." Bulma said, breaking into Vegeta's thoughts. "There's a couple of houses on the eastern end, but I want to go there." she pointed towards the beach on the far western tip of the island. "Forget waterfalls. Land on that hill so I can look down at the beach."  
  
Vegeta sighed, annoyed, and decelerated into a smooth landing.  
  
"Listen to me for a minute, Vegeta." Bulma said once they'd settled themselves comfortably on the grass.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"I love you and I know you love me, so I'm not going to get in your way again as far as training goes. I don't expect you to take me places or buy me stuff. I mean, I used to expect guys to, but not you. All that seems kinda silly. I mean, I can't imagine you at a dance club. What I'm saying is I'll wait for you to finish training everyday before we talk. I'll wait for you to destroy the androids before I expect you to do that kind of stuff. And that's saying a lot since I usually like to do my own thing. I mean, I always have since I was a kid. I went off to find the dragonballs all on my own. And what a silly wish I planned to make." she smiled at the memories. "So there. Now what do you think?"  
  
"Very touching." Vegeta said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
"Come on, what'd you think?" Bulma asked.  
  
"I already knew all that. What else does a woman do?"  
  
"AHH! I'm not your slave!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"Then why'd you say that?!"  
  
"Because that's what women do." Vegeta replied.  
  
"That is so self-centered! And egotistical! And chauvinist! And -" Bulma scolded.  
  
"Oh quit it."  
  
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!?!" Bulma yelled, standing up and glaring down at him.  
  
"I said quit it, you'll wake the natives."  
  
"WHO CARES ABOUT THE STINKIN' NATIVES!!! I KNOW YOU CERTAINLY DON'T! AND IF YOU EVER, EVER, EVER TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN, I'LL KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!"  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"That's right! I'LL KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP! I'll come in with a needle and inject you with some poison or another! AND DON'T THINK I WON'T DO IT! I'll probably regret it later, but by then it'll be too late for you. You've been warned!" she stomped off down the hill and onto the beach.  
  
'I've got to remember to sleep somewhere else the next time I get her mad.' Vegeta thought as he watched her stomp off. 'Now should I let her seeth on her own or go get her? . . . Well Kakarott would probably come after me if a giant octopus snatched her into the water or something. And with my luck, that just might happen. Then that idiot Yam-chuck-su-ee would come after me and I'd have to kill him . . . I'd better just suck it up and get her.' Vegeta climbed to his feet and strolled down to the beach. He stood beside Bulma, hands in his pockets, not talking.  
  
Bulma didn't even glance at him. She just stared off at the ocean with a stony expression on her face.  
  
"Why don't you go ahead and do your own thing; I'll be around." Vegeta said grumpily.  
  
"Oh please. You still don't get the point. I thought you were smarter than that." Bulma huffed.  
  
"The point is you lo . . . love. . . .love me, -" Vegeta forced out. "- and you know that I llll . . .lo . . . reciprocate your feelings. Why do you keep telling me that over and over? I do understand basic concepts."  
  
Bulma's expression lightened into a smile. "Because I don't want you to forget, silly. You never seek me out and say - Bulma, my sweetheart, love of my life, I would love to talk to you right now. I can't live without you. - Say that sometime soon."  
  
"Fat chance that's gonna happen." Vegeta smirked.  
  
"I know, but I can dream, can't I? A girl's allowed to have fantasies. Don't you?"  
  
"No." Vegeta scoffed in disgust.  
  
"You are so callous sometimes. But don't worry. I know it's all an act."  
  
Bulma stepped in front of Vegeta and leaned back against him. She smiled as his arms encircled her waist. She placed her hands on top of his and sighed in contentment as Vegeta rested his chin on the top of her head. They stared out across the moonlit water and towards the distant stars.  
  
"Will you take me to the stars? After this is all over?" Bulma asked quietly.  
  
Vegeta waited so long, she'd given up on a reply before she heard softly. "Sure . . . I'll take you there sometime."  
  
THE END  
  
(A/N - Hoped you like this fic. For those of you that did, there is a sequel. It's called 'The Urako Incident'. Check it out and if a few people review it, I'll put the rest of 'The Urako Incident' on the internet. It's already complete and sitting in my room in a notebook, lol.) 


End file.
